Man, 92, seriously hurt in Greenhithe care home lift fall

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-kent-38111802

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A 92-year-old man has a shattered ankle and a broken leg after falling down a lift shaft at a care home.

Len Condra had to undergo an emergency seven-hour operation after falling 14ft (4m) at the Haslington Care Home in Greenhithe, Kent.

His family fear the former soldier may never walk again.

The Care Quality Commission said it was investigating the incident. The care home declined to comment and referred the BBC to Kent Police.

Mr Condra has been in King's College Hospital, south-east London, since the fall at 07:40 GMT last Friday.

He had mild dementia, but his granddaughter fears that may have worsened.

Katalina Chu said: "He doesn't know where he is, doesn't know anything that's happened, he doesn't even remember me, and I'm the closest person to him.

"It shouldn't have happened, not in a care home, not a dementia ward where they need 24-hour care."

Nadra Ahmed, of the National Care Home Association, said the incident highlighted the fact the sector has "a massive recruitment and retention issue".

"There are very clear guidelines that you must have enough staff to look after the people that are within the service, and that is a judgement for the management of that care home to have made," she said.