A PATIENT died after choking on a piece of chocolate cake after soft diet needs were inadequately recorded and communicated, an inquest heard.

Anne Roberts, 68, from Whitley, was given cake despite being placed on a soft food diet at Prospect Park Hospital

She was considered to be at high risk of choking, Reading Coroner's Court was told.

The jury inquest found inadequate care at Reading's Prospect Park Hospital contributed to Miss Roberts' death.

Christie Dyball, Miss Roberts’ daughter, said she hoped the Berkshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust would implement the changes so another family doesn't have to go through what her family has.

Miss Dyball said: “My family and I are devastated by mum’s death and we want to ensure that any failings in her care are identified and steps taken to ensure that other patients are better protected in the future.

“Mum was so unwell at the time of her death, she was wholly reliant on staff at Prospect Park.

"Had the hospital and its staff better understood and managed her need for a soft diet, we believe that mum would have had the opportunity to get better and could have returned to living in the community, as she had done for many decades beforehand.”

She believes it was a lack of common sense to give her mother the cake after two previous choking incidents.

Miss Roberts was staying at the hospital after suffering with mental health problems.

Doctors had placed her on a soft food diet following previous choking incidents.

Under the supervision of two healthcare assistants, she was given what was deemed an unsuitable meal as she lay in bed, after the rest of her furniture was removed for her safety.

The jury concluded that that information regarding her diet had been inadequately communicated and recorded by staff.

She died on September 28 last year.

Miss Roberts' death was one of three choking-related deaths at Prospect Park Hospital within a year.

The Care Quality Commission are currently carrying out checks at Prospect Park Hospital.

Debbie Simmons, Nurse Director at Berkshire West Clinical Commissioning Group, said Anne’s death was the most concerning of three deaths ‘in very different circumstances.’

She said: “We’ve ensured that the learning has been embedded and the investigations have been closed as far as the CCG is concerned.

“The [Berkshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust] also looked across the three incidents, and have shared their learning across the country.”