An inquest is likely to be held into the death of a woman following a fall at a care home, according to her family’s lawyers.

Joy Saunders, 76, from Ipswich, suffered a fall while a patient in Bluebird Lodge community hospital in the town in November 2012.

Her husband David claims he had asked staff to be aware of the danger that she might fall out of bed.

Mrs Saunders suffered a major brain haemorrhage following the fall, which happened on her first night at Bluebird Lodge, but solicitors say that despite her incoherent speech and nasty facial bruising, proper tests were not carried out for two days.

She required 24-hour care after the fall and was admitted to a hospice following the incident.

Mrs Saunders died over the recent Christmas period.

The private healthcare provider, Serco, which runs Bluebird Lodge, has said it will not comment on individual cases. It said that patient safety is a “paramount concern” and it took matters like this “very seriously”.

Mrs Saunders had been admitted to Bluebird Lodge following a stroke while on holiday in Spain.

The fall happened in the physiotherapy care unit at Bluebird Lodge.