A woman's family have secured compensation after staff in the care home where she was a resident failed to recognise signs of pressure sores, leading to her death from sepsis.

The woman suffered from dementia and had been living in the care home for nearly two years. Staff noticed a bruise on her hip and a mark on her heel but did not identify these as pressure sores. Her condition deteriorated over the next two months and she was eventually admitted to hospital with sepsis caused by an infected pressure ulcer on her heel. She died eight days later.

Her family sought legal advice and a report was obtained from an independent nursing expert. The report concluded that, had the pressure sores been identified and treated promptly, the development of sepsis could have been prevented.

A claim was brought against the company that ran the care home. A number of failings in the woman's care were alleged, including a failure to involve her GP, a failure to put in place an individualised care plan and a lack of communication with her family.

The care home admitted liability and negotiations led to the claim being settled for £16,500.