Changes suggested for care after falls

A coroner has called for changes in dealing with nursing home patients who suffer a minor head injury from a fall, recommending they be referred to hospital for assessment.

South Australian Coroner Mark Johns says if those patients are on blood-thinning medication, hospitals should also consider conducting a CT scan.

His recommendations follow an inquest into the death of Marie Janet Ford, 84, who died from a head injury after falling from a chair at a nursing home in Adelaide in 2011.

Mr Johns said the nursing home staff followed the normal standard of care for such incidents but it was appropriate to use Mrs Ford's case as an opportunity to review protocols.

He said an expert opinion provided to the inquest recommended the aged-care sector consider CT head scanning in all patients who suffered a minor head injury while on blood-thinning medication.

The coroner said without a scan a potentially fatal brain haemorrhage might not be found until it was quite large.