Retired pharmacist crushed to death in canal boat accident

Margaret Billings sustained fatal injuries when she was caught between a moving boat and a riverbank during a day out “with family and friends”, an inquest has found.

"Despite the efforts of the paramedics, she was pronounced deceased"

A coroner this month (March 6) ruled that retired pharmacist Margaret Billings died in an accident after being “caught between [a] canal boat and the bank”.

Evidence heard at the inquest revealed that on June 27 2024, Billings “was travelling with family and friends on a canal boat heading towards Bradford on Avon”.

She “had been on some 20 similar journeys in the past and was regarded as experienced”, it said.

Read more: Pharmacy systems under scrutiny after drug interaction ‘sudden death’

“As the boat approached Maton Lock [in] Wiltshire, Billings was stood on the boat some three feet away from the stern, holding on with one hand,” it added.

Then, “in circumstances that remain unclear, [she] left the boat and was in the water,” it said.

“Extensive injuries”

Inquest evidence found that Billings was caught “between the boat that was under power and the bank, with the distance between the two rapidly diminishing”.

This “caused extensive injuries to her chest and head”, it said.

Read more: GPhC investigating pharmacy after IOU epilepsy patient death

“[She] was pulled from the water and despite the efforts of the paramedics, was pronounced deceased at the scene,” it added.

The coroner recorded a conclusion of accident, a spokesperson this week (March 11) told C+D.

Coroner concerns

It comes after a coroner last week warned that a drug interaction does “not trigger an alert on the prescribing software used in primary care or by pharmacists”.

He raised the concerns after a patient who had been on a dangerous trio of drugs for years “without concern” suffered sudden cardiac death.

Read more: Coroner: Patient dead after ‘tick-box’ online pharmacy prescription

And last month, a GP warned that pharmacies “need” to review patient records before prescribing during the inquest of a patient who died after obtaining drugs through an online pharmacy.

“The process required to do this was described as a ‘tick-box’ exercise in court,” the coroner said.

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Kate Bowie

Read more by Kate Bowie

Kate Bowie joined C+D as a digital reporter in August 2023 after graduating from a master’s in journalism at City, University of London. She began covering the primary care beat at the end of 2022, when she carried out several health investigations focused on staffing issues, NHS funding and health inequalities.

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