Coroner Ruled Barry Park Whipp Died as a Result of a Fall at His Care Home

16th Apr 2026

We have been representing the family of Barry Park Whipp, a much loved Derbyshire man who died while resident in a nursing home, following a cardiac arrest after suffering a fall from bed.

The recent inquest at Chesterfield found that the fall directly caused Barry’s death, and that this was due to a carer’s mistake.

Speaking after the inquest, Barry’s partner, Geoff Birkinshaw, said:

“Barry and I lived happily together for 40 years.

“However, in 2020 our world collapsed when he had a stroke. The doctors gave him weeks to live. I committed myself to nurturing him as care at the nursing home could be variable and the NHS had written him off as irrecoverable. 

“He remained bed bound but recovered well. I spent six hours every day with him and he defied the odds by living for four more years. He became my main purpose in life and I was his world. 

“That world ended in August 2024 when two carers failed to follow basic safety procedures and caused him to fall from his bed. He hit his head on the floor and had a cardiac arrest which killed him.

“The subsequent criminal investigation for gross negligence manslaughter created a long delay before the funeral could take place prolonging our suffering. During this time, Barry’s body was examined by a pathologist who eventually decided he couldn’t prove that the cardiac arrest had been caused by the fall; a decision which myself and Barry’s family found incredible. 

“In consequence the criminal prosecution was dropped due to this technicality. 

“It was revealed at the coroner’s hearing that the pathologist had not been informed of medical tests made at the time of the incident and which would have proved that Barry had still been alive after the fall. The pathologist’s decision was then changed.

“Barry’s loss has left his family heartbroken and myself, – a broken man. 

“We are satisfied today that the coroner has agreed with what we said a year ago. ie that his death was caused by the fall and the fall was caused by a lack of basic common sense.”

In addition, Barry’s son, Peter Whipp, said:

“My late father was a devoted husband to our mother, Gwen, a proud father of four children, much loved grandfather and loving partner to Geoff.

“He was a loyal and kind man; always the person everyone would turn to for advice. He was selfless and dependable, a man who always put others before himself working long hours as an electrical engineer to support his family and give us every opportunity.

“Dad gave us a life full of adventure taking us travelling across Europe, all six of us in his VW campervan! He made ordinary life feel exciting and gave us memories that will stay with us forever.

“My brother Paul passed away shortly after dad had his stroke and, while heartbroken, we take comfort in the thought that they are now together.”

 Joe Dodman from HCC Solicitors represented the family at the inquest. He said:

“Despite being bed bound, Mr Whipp had a quality of life and a family who adored him. They have been desperate to get justice for him.

“In his partner Geoff’s own words ‘Barry was alive and breathing while he lay on his bed, two minutes later, he was bleeding and dead on the floor’. The family has always rejected the suggestion that Barry died from natural causes and that’s why it’s been so important for them to get to the bottom of what happened. They really hope lessons are learnt and procedures change so that no other family has to go through what they have.”

You can read more about the ruling in the report by Derbyshire Live.

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