A hospice is to carry out a series of investigations so it can ‘learn’ lessons from the death of a former magistrate.

An inquest in Bradford yesterday heard how Jack Williamson, 76, was said to have disappeared from Manorlands hospice in Oxenhope days before he died there on July 31, 2011 – but there were no official records that he had done so.

His widow Valerie showed Assistant Coroner Dr Dominic Bell a picture of her “rosy-cheeked” husband which she said she had been handed by a nurse after his death. She said the nurse explained the picture had been taken in case her husband went missing again and they needed to give it to police.

The family raised a series of concerns during the five-hour hearing.

The inquest heard doctors had filled in a Do Not Resuscitate form without consulting Mr Williamson because they believed discussing it would distress him. They had not discussed it with his family either, but a space on the form for listing reasons not to communicate with the family had been left blank.

Although hospice notes said Mrs Williamson had been told her husband was nearing the end of his life and was being put on the Liverpool Care Pathway (LCP), she had not fully understood what it meant. Neither had her children been told by staff that the palliative process had begun, even though it was they who got him admitted.

There was also concern a nurse had not allowed them to give their father a drink when he was thirsty, telling them he would “drown” if they did.

Giving evidence, hospice consultant Dr Helen Livingstone said if a patient on the LCP wanted a drink they should be one.

Concluding that Mr Williamson, of Ogden Crescent, Denholme, died from natural causes from bronchial pneumonia and malignant mesothelioma, Dr Bell said he accepted overall evidence that treatment decisions were appropriate. “It’s more to do with interface between the hospice and the family,” he said, accepting undertakings from the hospice it would work with the family and investigate their concerns.

Addressing the family, hospice manager Elizabeth Procter said: “It’s exceptionally important we learn from things that have not gone well and we want to work with you on things we didn’t get quite right.”