A senior carer said she had told a man who died after jumping into a swimming pool not to jump in prior to the incident, an inquest has heard.
Michael Parker, who had Down’s syndrome, died on June 12 2023 while on holiday in Spain with residents and staff members from The Grange care home in Bookham, Surrey, where he lived.
An inquest into his death at Surrey Coroner’s Court in Woking previously heard from Mr Parker’s carer Harry Beckwith, who said he had landed on Mr Parker when he jumped in the pool after him on June 11.
Giving evidence on Tuesday, senior support worker Joanna Henderson – who was on the trip to Salou – told the court she asked Mr Parker, 43, not to jump into the pool when she saw him doing so on June 10.
Asked whether she was satisfied Mr Parker had understood her instructions, Ms Henderson said: “Yes, by the manner in which he came out (of the pool) and stopped what he was doing.”
Ms Henderson said the group of clients on the trip were good swimmers and had regular sessions at The Grange’s own swimming pool.
The inquest also heard evidence from Hugh Skeil, who was acting chief executive officer of The Grange at the time of the incident.
Mr Parker jumping into the pool and being told not to on June 10 was not recorded on his care notes, the court was told.
Asked if he expected more individualised notes to be recorded for Mr Parker, Mr Skeil said: “In an ideal world, yes.
“In practice when you are working 24 hours a day, the amount of time you can spend on paper work is limited.”
Water in The Grange pool is chest height, the inquest has heard, and swimmers are not allowed to jump in.
Ms Henderson told the court she expected The Grange pool rules to apply to the hotel pool for their clients and staff.
Asked if she assumed Mr Beckwith would understand that such rules would be in place, Ms Henderson said: “Yes, because he was there to do a job. He wasn’t there to enjoy himself, he was there to support the guys.”
She told the court she had been on other holidays with groups from the care home prior to the trip to Salou, including one with Mr Parker.
Ms Henderson confirmed she had not had to tell staff not to jump into pools on previous trips.
Asked if she considered what guidance Mr Beckwith had had prior to the holiday, Ms Henderson said: “I did speak to Harry because he was getting quite excited as he hadn’t been abroad before.
“I told him you have to be extra vigilant with the guys.”
Ms Henderson had been involved in planning the holiday and had written the risk assessment for the trip.
“We try and do holidays for them every year for those who want to go,” she told the court.
“It expands their experiences and brings great joy to them.”
The inquest heard Ms Henderson and the other staff on the holiday had carried out a dynamic risk assessment around the pool when they arrived at the hotel.
Ms Henderson said she had not been at the pool on June 11, the day of the incident, but had been called to the pool by her colleague afterwards.
An ambulance was called and arrived quickly, Ms Henderson told the court.
She went to hospital with Mr Parker and spoke to the doctor about what she thought had happened.
Mr Skeil told the court he was called and told about the incident on June 11.
“I heard there had been a serious incident and Michael had been injured and was in hospital, in ICU at that time,” Mr Skeil said.
“I was told he had sustained an injury to his spinal cord and was apparently very unlikely to survive.”
The court was told how The Grange now makes more detailed risk assessments specific to each person going on holiday and where they are going.
It has also stopped taking clients on holidays abroad.
Asked if new holiday policies were applied, would the same members of staff go on the holiday, Mr Skeil said: “In all probability, Harry would not have been chosen.”
In a statement read out previously on behalf of Mr Parker’s family by Emily Raynor, representing them, his brother described him as “full of life and energy” with an “innate sense of empathy”.
The statement said Mr Parker loved “rocking out on the dancefloor” and his song of choice was Don’t Stop Me Now by Queen.
“Michael’s death has devastated us all,” they added.
The inquest was adjourned and is set to conclude on March 12.
