Published: Tuesday, 2nd March, 2010 4:23pm

Inquest into death after drugs mix-up

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A grandmother collapsed just minutes after taking tablets which a blundering pharmacist had wrongly put in her prescription, an inquest heard today (Tuesday).

Elizabeth Lee, a locum chemist at the Tesco store in Dedworth, gave 72-year-old Carmel Sheller beta-blockers instead of anti-biotics and steroids which her doctor had prescribed.

Lee, who was given a suspended prison sentence for the error, was working a 10-hour shift at the time she made an error during which she did not take a break.

An inquest heard that 10 minutes after Mrs Sheller took the pills, she became ill, lost consciousness, fluid started running out of her nose and her eyes rolled backwards.

She died days later, although a post mortem examination showed it was not as a result of the pills mix-up.

Today, Berkshire Coroner Peter Bedford heard evidence that the pharmacy manager at the Tesco store was on maternity leave at the time of the mix-up and had not been replaced.

Tesco area pharmacy manager Karl Von Molendorff also claimed it was up to individual staff to ensure they took adequate rest breaks to stay fresh.

Mrs Sheller died three days after she collapsed at her home in Windsor on August 30 2007.

The hearing continues.