Mystery surrounds gran ‘drug death’

8:05am Saturday 17th May 2008

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MYSTERY surrounds the death of a Macclesfield grandmother who died just weeks after being given an unprescribed dose of morphine.

Although the drug was not directly responsible for the death of Audrey McIntyre, 70, who died in Macclesfield Hospital on February 11 2006, an inquest at Macclesfield Town Hall on Wednesday May 14 heard it contributed to her already failing health.

Speaking at the inquest forensic professor, Alexander Forrest, said findings from blood and urine samples taken on February 1 revealed the morphine was given seven to 10 days before that date.

Neither hospital staff nor staff at The Rowans nursing home, on Merriden Road, Macclesfield, where Audrey, a former nursery nurse and typist, lived, had any record of the drug being prescribed for pain relief.

Her son, Anthony Ellerman told the inquest he could not provide any explanation.

A lengthy police investigation found insufficient evidence to make any arrests or bring any charges.

The inquest heard how Mrs McIntyre had been in failing health for some time before her death.

She had been in and out of hospital with problems with her renal system, strokes, arthritis, a cracked spine and a chest infection.

The official cause of death was given as chronic renal failure and bronchial pneumonia.

In returning a verdict of natural occurring disease exacerbated by opiates, deputy coroner Janet Napier said: "While there were no signs of opiate toxicity, from the evidence given we can be confident the morphine worsened her kidney function.

"It's possible the substance was administered in hospital or at The Rowans, but with a lack of information it's impossible to determine how it was administered and by whom."