An ex-Labour minister who helped the government on the 2008 banks bailout died after getting Covid in hospital after a fall, an inquest heard.
Lord Paul Myners, 73, died on January 16 after catching the virus on a ward while being treated for a brain injury after an accident.
Inner West London Coroner’s Court heard he was recuperating from cancer when he collapsed in Wandsworth last year.
On the kitchen floor, he was discovered unresponsive.
Unseen, the fall’s cause is unknown.
The next day, he was hospitalised with a brain haemorrhage.
After his brain injury, he had convulsions and ‘chronic delirium,’ and was transported to Chelsea and Westminster Hospital.
Paramedic Peter Maestranzi said he was discovered motionless with a head injury on the kitchen floor.
He was confused, repetitious, and tired.
He’d had alcohol and back pain medicine the night before.
‘He was awake and repeating he wanted to sleep.
He thought he was in bed and didn’t recognise the emergency workers.
Before the head injury, he informed his family he didn’t want to be resuscitated, said Dr Lydia Dennis of Chelsea and Westminster Hospital (in the event his heart stopped beating).
The family decided not to resuscitate him (in that eventuality). Reversible causes will be treated.
On December 24, it was discovered he had coronavirus and he was relocated. Changed his antibiotics.
He changed wards but remained tired, agitated, and had communication problems.
He was angry and refused counselling.
He refused meals and required help every meal.
He got dehydrated due to kidney and brain injuries and ripped out tubes despite wearing mittens.
Sarah attended a best interests conference on January 14 and learned he did not want life-prolonging therapy and was unlikely to recover neurologically.
His symptoms worsened on January 15, and the palliative care team knew he was dying.
After the brain damage, he had convulsions and ‘chronic delirium’
The immediate cause of death was healthcare-associated pneumonia, while the underlying cause was head trauma.
Coronavirus didn’t cause death, although it contributed.
Assistant coroner Russell Caller concluded at the inquest on Wednesday that the fall was accidental and unwitnessed.
He fell and hurt his head, causing issues.
This was an unintentional fall, is my judgement.
Families attended through videolink.
Lord Myners was adopted from a Bath orphanage when he was three.
He was raised in Truro and attended a Methodist school on scholarship.
After teaching, he became a financial writer at the Daily Telegraph then joined Rothschild in the City.
He was Gartmore’s CEO for over 20 years and a director of NatWest, Coutts, and Lloyd’s.
Chairman of Marks & Spencer Group Plc and the Guardian Media Group.
Gordon Brown nominated him financial services secretary to the Treasury, or City minister, two weeks after Lehman Brothers collapsed in 2008 to manage Britain’s reaction to the financial disaster.
Lord Myners helped the then-PM organise a £400 billion bank bailout that merged HBOS and Lloyds, the UK’s fifth and sixth biggest banks at the time.
After his passing, the former PM called him a ‘tower of strength.’
Carolyn McCall, ITV CEO and GMG chairman during Lord Myners’ term, said, ‘Paul had a bright intellect, entrepreneurial passion, and extraordinary work ethic.’
He was a severe taskmaster with a wicked sense of humour. When he led Guardian Media Group, I learnt so much from him.’
His harsh criteria for saving the banks were successful.
Lord Myners observed, “I’ve worked in the City, but not of it.”
After becoming a minister, he was ennobled as Lord Myners of Truro and eventually became a crossbench lord.
Four girls and a boy survive him.