A man from Chandler's Ford died in hospital after testing positive for covid and a fall, an inquest heard.

John Henry Chalk, of Monmouth Close, died at Royal Hampshire County Hospital in Winchester on November 16 2020.

Area coroner Jason Pegg told the inquest that Mr Chalk, 86, had been admitted to hospital on November 13 where he was transferred to the Victoria Ward, which was being used to treat covid patients, after he tested positive on arrival.

After this, he was found on the floor next to his bed after an unnoticed fall which resulted in serious injuries to his head and hip.

In evidence given by Nurse Oomman, who was working on the Victoria Ward when Mr Chalk was admitted, the inquest heard that staff determined he was at low risk of a fall.

This was because Mr Chalk appeared to be sleeping and gave no indication of wanting to get out of his bed, despite the confused state he arrived in.

Mr Chalk was found to have fallen at 2am on November 14 despite his bed rails being up.

Dr Jimmy Chong, consultant physician at Royal Hampshire County Hospital, also gave evidence about Mr Chalk's arrival at the hospital.

He said: “On his arrival, he was very breathless, was coughing and sweating. In his medical notes, it was found he had a history of lung problems.

“After his fall, he had good movement in all four limbs which was unusual.

“Following a CT scan, he was found to have fractured his hip, however he was deemed too unfit to go into surgery.”

Dr Chong also said that covid had played a major part in Mr Chalk's death due to his previous lung conditions.

In his conclusion Mr Pegg noted that Mr Chalk was a family man who had cared for his wife until she died in 2018 and that in his later years, he was very independent.

He said: “John Chalk died on November 16 at Royal Hampshire County Hospital. He tested positive for covid on admission.

“Mr Chalk fell out of his bed on the Victoria Ward while trying to mobilise on November 14 which lead to his death.

“The causes of death are: Covid-19, traumatic intracerebral haemorrhage, fall, fractured left femur, fractured left frontal facial bones and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.”