A man from Kesgrave died after complications which followed surgery at Ipswich Hospital, a coroner has found.

83-year-old Ivan Chapman of Helston Close was admitted to Ipswich Hospital on September 9 last year after suffering a fall at home.

The fall had resulted in a fracture to Mr Chapman’s left hip which required surgery.

Assistant Coroner Kevin McCarthy said up to that up to that point Mr Chapman had been a “fairly fit, healthy and active” man.

The day after his surgery doctors noticed that Mr Chapman’s haemoglobin levels had fallen from 11.1 to 8.4 and he was found to be cold and clammy. It was recorded that he was given intravenous fluid and a blood transfusion.

However it subsequently emerged that the blood transfusion was not given. “It is obvious to most people that the family are concerned about that,” said the coroner.

Further enquiries were carried out and a letter from Dr Stephen Pryke, Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon, said: “I can see no evidence that a blood transfusion took place. I recorded these findings to you in a previous letter and have little further to add as to why the transfusion was not prescribed. It still remains my opinion that if it had been prescribed it would have had no impact on his admission.”

The coroner concluded that Mr Chapman died as a result of a cardiac arrest, “resulting from complications following an operation to repair his left femur.”