A CORONER has expressed concerns after the death of an 81-year-old woman from a drugs overdose while she was a patient in Longridge Community Hospital.

An inquest heard that staff suspected Dorothy Hibell had taken her own medication into the hospital with her and that an assortment of tablets had been found in her bag after her death.

The hearing was told that she was on an "unusually high" dosage of sleeping tablets at the time of her death and coroner Michael Singleton said this would be one of the things he would be considering further.

He said he would decide whether there was any additional action he needed to take in order to prevent a similar tragedy in the future.

Recording a verdict of misadventure, Mr Singleton said the deliberate act necessary for such a verdict was either the dispensing of the drugs that were prescribed or the supplementing of these by Mrs Hibell without appreciating the consequences.

"I have considerable concerns with regard to the events leading to this lady's death," said Mr Singleton.

"I am concerned about the level of tamazepam being prescribed, that various drugs were being prescribed in tandem and the fact that concern was expressed that she may have had access to other drugs. I will be considering these matters further before deciding if there is any action I need to take under the Coroners' Rules."

Mr Singleton said the level of tamazepam given to Mrs Hibell appeared to have been increased "inadvertently" from 20 mg to 30 mg.

"This has been described to me as being a high level dosage, particularly taking into account this lady's known heart and respiratory condition," said Mr Singleton.

"I have heard various references to this lady being depressed and having expressed desires to no longer be with us but I am satisfied she was not a lady who would have ended her own life."

The inquest heard that Mrs Hibell, of High Gate, Goosnargh, had been admitted to Longridge Community Hospital in February for a period of assessment.

She had been due to leave hospital on the day she was discovered dead in her bed.

The medical cause of death given was the combined effects of propoxaplene, diazepam and tamazepam, which was three times above the highest therapeutic level.

Mr John Hibell, of Fleetwood, said his mother had undergone a number of hip operations and had become depressed.

On several occasions she had she wished she "had the guts" to end it all.

The inquest heard that Dr Margaret Small, Mrs Hibell's GP, had decided to admit her to hospital and had been present when she arrived.

Mrs Hibell had handed over a bag of medication she had bought with her and said that was all she had with her.

Dr Small said she had not been Mrs Hibell's GP for long and had been surprised that she was prescribed so many drugs and that she was taking 20 mg of tamazepam.

She could not explain why the hospital record showed she was prescribed 30 mg.

Staff nurse Suzanne Lavery said Mrs Hibell had seemed reluctant to hand over her medication.

"I had my suspicions that she may still have more medication with her," said Mrs Lavery.

She passed on her suspicions to Dr Small and Margaret Watton, senior sister in charge of the 15-bed hospital.