South East Coast Ambulance Service has issued an apology following an incident in which a 75-year-old woman fell from a stretcher and sustained a head injury before dying later in hospital.

Christine Faunch, from Dover, Kent, was being transported by paramedics when she fell. According to the coroner’s report, the top half of her body was unsecured, as paramedics had fastened only the waist and leg straps of the stretcher. She experienced a seizure during the transfer, which led to her falling onto a concrete surface and hitting her head.

Ms. Faunch was taken to hospital but died several hours later. An inquest held in Maidstone heard that her death was due to a ruptured spleen, which was most likely not caused by the fall. Coroner Katrina Hepburn delivered a verdict of accidental death.

In response to the incident, South East Coast Ambulance Service expressed regret for the fall and said it had undertaken a review of procedures to prevent similar occurrences in the future. The service emphasised its commitment to patient safety following the event.