THE brother of an epileptic woman who drowned in the bath wants an inquiry into care practices at the home where she lived.

Last week a coroner ruled that Carol Hughes' death at supported-living accommodation in Evesham a year ago was accidental.

But the 54-year-old's brother, Kevin, wants an investigation in the practices employed at the School Road home, run by New Era Housing Association.

Mr Hughes, aged 49, said: "I am pushing for another investigation into the actual practices of the home. There are other residents there incapable of living on their own so are highly dependent. I do have a solicitor looking at the case."

He added: "We had visited the previous Sunday, before Carol's death, and we didn't see a member of staff for two hours."

The inquest heard Miss Hughes, who was brain damaged from birth, requested a bath on the day she died. Her severe epilepsy meant staff monitored her bath times via an intercom system so they could react quickly if she had a fit.

When a care worker could not find a reception on the system she went to inform Miss Hughes and discovered her submerged in the bath.

Tests by a police officer later found the system to be working.

Mr Hughes added: "My sister had not had a seizure for two months and she has one on average every month, so the staff knew one was imminent. They should have been made aware of that."

He also voiced concerns about the location of an upstairs staff office when two patients rooms, including his sister's, were downstairs.

Mr Hughes added: "They have now moved the office downstairs but I think they have been responsive to health and safety policies, not me."

Steve Scown, executive director of New Era, said: "We did carry out a through policy review and didn't identify any fundamental problems. We've reviewed risk assessments on all the people we support with epilepsy.

"The coroner said the staff did everything they could on the day to save Carol. I'm not sure what else I can say to Kevin - we have given him the answers we can give him."

Vale MP Peter Luff said: "When I took up this case for Kevin Hughes last year I was told New Era Housing Association were conducting their own internal inquiry. Now we have the verdict of the inquest I will be asking social services what the outcome of that inquiry was and what steps they intend to take to make sure these tragic events are not repeated."