Carer feels responsible for meds mix-up death

CARE home worker who gave the wrong medication to a resident who later died feels fully responsible, a court has heard.

- ELEANOR STOREY

Jane Barnard, 66, denies the manslaughter of Derek Davies, 75, who lived at the care home where she was employed and died on September 8, 2021.

Mr Davies died after Barnard, inset, mistakenly gave him medication prescribed for another patient, Jason Dodsworth, including 90mg of slow-release morphine.

A trial at Gloucester Crown Court heard Barnard failed to report her mistake and lied to colleagues and medical professionals to conceal what she had done, even after Mr Davies fell ill and was taken to hospital. The following day, she tried to confess at a church, where she was on the cleaning rota.

“I thought I could go to church and tell someone what had happened,” she told the court.

“I did go... I started cleaning, but they were doing technical stuff in the church and they were really busy.