15 October 2018

Before HM Coroner Mark Layton
Carmarthenshire and Pembrokeshire Coroner's Court
The Town Hall, Hamilton Terrace, Milford Haven, SA73 3JW

Opens 10 am Wednesday 17 October 2018
Expected to last 3-4 days

Heddwyn Hughes, 67, was a vulnerable adult who was in the care of Hywel Dda Health Trust at Carmarthen. The inquest into his death opens on Wednesday 17 October.

Heddwyn had a lifelong learning disability, which required full time care. He was living in Bro Myrddin care home in Carmarthen, where at some stage he suffered a broken neck. Heddwyn was moved to Glangwili General Hospital on 6 May 2015. His neck injury was only diagnosed by the hospital after ten days. He died five months later on 18 October 2015.

The inquest will explore issues around:

• What caused Heddwyn’s neck to be broken on or around 6 May 2015.
• The treatment Heddwyn received both at the care home and following his transfer to hospital on 6 May 2015.
• Care staff members’ knowledge of and response to Heddwyn’s mobility difficulties and history of falls before 6 May 2015.
• The possibility that Heddwyn was treated differently by staff, by reason of his learning and communication difficulties.

The family of Heddwyn Hughes said: “Heddwyn was particularly fond of music and, even after his injury, he would greet us with that lovely smile of his, unaware of the gravity of his situation. It has been a long three years since Heddwyn’s death, but we hope that the inquest will answer some of our concerns, in particular how he broke his neck.”

ENDS

NOTES TO EDITORS

For further information and to note your interest, please contact INQUEST communications team on 020 7263 1111 or here. 

INQUEST has been working with the family of Heddwyn Hughes since January 2016. The family is represented by INQUEST Lawyers Group member Clare Richardson of Deighton Pierce Glynn and Sophy Miles of Doughty Street Chambers.