Prevention of Future Deaths reports · 2013

Rosa Anderson

Regulation 28 report to prevent future deaths, reference 2013-0263, written 17 Oct 2013. A coroner writes one of these when an inquest reveals a risk that could cause further deaths unless something changes.

Date of report17 Oct 2013
Reference2013-0263
DeceasedRosa Anderson
CoronerAndre Rebello
Coroner areaLiverpool
CategoryHospital Death (Clinical Procedures and medical management) related deaths
Sourcejudiciary.uk record · original PDF
Responses published1

The report

Text recovered by OCR from a scanned PDF. OCR is imperfect: check anything you rely on against the source PDF. Reproduced verbatim, including the scan's own layout.

REGULATION 28: REPORT TO PREVENT FUTURE DEATHS (1)

NOTE: This form is to be used after an inquest.

REGULATION 28 REPORT TO PREVENT FUTURE DEATHS
THIS REPORT IS BEING SENT TO:

1. The Chief Executive, Aintree Hospitals NHS Trust, Longmoor Lane,
Liverpool L9 7AL

1 | CORONER

lam André Rebello, Senior Coroner, for the area of Liverpool

2 | CORONER’S LEGAL POWERS

| make this report under paragraph 7, Schedule 5, of the Coroners and Justice Act 2009
and regulations 28 and 29 of the Coroners (Investigations) Regulations 2013.

3 | NVESTIGATION and INQUEST

On 16th May 2013 | commenced an investigation into the death of Rosa ANDERSON
, Aged 79. The investigation concluded at the end of the inquest on 17th October 2013.
The conclusion of the inquest was

la Hypoxic Brain Injury

Ib Cardiac Arrest

Ic Oesophageal Perforation Secondary to
Laparoscopic Repair of Diaphragmatic Hernia

Accidental Death

4 | CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE DEATH

On 29th April 2013, Rosa Anderson underwent a laparoscopic repair of a diaphragmatic
hernia at the University Hospital Aintree. During the procedure, damage was
inadvertantly caused to the oesophagus within the thorax. There was no way this could
have been appreciated at the time. The following day, Mrs Anderson was discharged
home. The same evening she was admitted to the emergency department with
abdominal pain and burning in the epigastric region. From the signs and symptoms, the
breach of the oesophageal wall was not appreciated. She was referred to the surgical
team and a CT Scan was arranged for the next day. With hindsight, the fact that the
leaking oesophagus was not detected earlier lessened the chances of a successful
resolution. :

The leaking oesophagus caused mediastenitis, which compromised Mrs Anderson's
breathing. This led to a cardiac arrest and hypoxic brain injury on 7th May 2013.

5 | CORONER’S CONCERNS

During the course of the inquest the evidence revealed matters giving rise to concern. In
my opinion there is a risk that future deaths will occur unless action is taken. In the
circumstances it is my statutory duty to report to you.

The MATTERS OF CONCERN are as follows. —

During the course of the Inquest it was evident that Mrs Anderson was not given a
discharge summary when discharged on 30°" April 2013. Further, she was given no
written information about her recent Japaroscopic operation, contact telephone numbers
for advice, nor were matters highlighted that required urgent medical assistance.

ACTION SHOULD BE TAKEN .

In my opinion action should be taken to prevent future deaths and | believe you
[AND/OR your organisation] have the power to take such action.

YOUR RESPONSE

You are under a duty to respond to this report within 56 days of the date of this report,
namely by 12th December 2013. |, the coroner, may extend the period.

Your response must contain details of action taken or proposed to be taken, setting out
the timetable for action. Otherwise you must explain why no action is.proposed.

COPIES and PUBLICATION

| have sent a copy of my report to the Chief Coroner and to the following Interested
Persons:

The Family of Mrs Anderson
The Coroners Society

| am also under a duty to send the Chief Coroner a copy of your response.

The Chief Coroner may publish either or both in a complete or redacted or summary
form. He may send a copy of this report to any person who he believes may find it useful
or of interest. You may make representations to me, the coroner, at the time of your
response, about the release or the publication of your response by the Chief Coroner.

showte.

André Rebello
Senior Coroner for the
City of Liverpool

17" October 2013

Responses

1 response published against this report on judiciary.uk. A response is a body's written reply to the coroner's concerns; publication is at the discretion of the Chief Coroner's office, so an absent response does not mean nobody replied.

Response from Aintree University Hospital (PDF)
Aintree University Hospital INHS|

NHS Foundation Trust

Our Ref: CB/MC
Executive Office
2" Floor Aintree Lodge
Mr A Rebello OBE _. Aintree University Hospital
H M Coroner for Liverpool RECEIVED Lower Lane
St George's Hall Liverpool L9 7AL

St George's Place

12 DEC 2073
Liverpool H. M. COROKE

L1 1JJ
10 December 2013

Dear Sir

Re: Patient RA - Ref DR 01152/2013

| write in response to your Regulation 28 Report of 18 October 2013 regarding the failure to
provide written discharge information to the patient following a laparoscopic surgical procedure,
including contact details for advice and action to be taken in the event of urgent medical assistance
being required.

| can confirm that there is now a discharge advice sheet in place, appropriate for these
laparoscopic procedures and this is provided to all relevant patients prior to discharge. This
discharge advice is generic for patients undergoing short stay surgery. There is also a separate
patient information leaflet for patients having hiatus hernia surgery and this is given to patients pre-
operatively. This also includes discharge advice for that specific group of patients.

Action is also being taken to ensure that appropriate written advice is provided to all inpatients of
the Trust (both Surgical and Medical) prior to discharge. A number of generic leaflets have been
produced intending to cover all patients on discharge where a procedure specific information leaflet
is not available. This will be implemented by 1 January 2014.

In addition, a number of specialties are looking at developing their own individualised discharge
information sheets and action is being taken to ensure that in such cases this is fully implemented
by 1 March 2014. In the meantime, in such cases, the appropriate generic information leaflet will
be provided to the patient.

Yours sincerely

Catherine Beardshaw
Chief Executive

Page 1 of 1

Advice After Discharge
(Day Surgery or Short-Stay
Surgery)

CG APPROVED

Aintree University Hospital NHS)

NHS Foundation Trust

Where quality matters

Division of Surgery and Anaesthetics
Lower Lane
Liverpool L9 7AL
Tel:0151-525-5980

Meeting your surgeon and
anaesthetist before surgery

You will have the opportunity to meet both the
Surgeon and Anaesthetist prior to going into
theatre

e Please feel free to ask any questions
you may have regarding surgery or
after-surgery care.

How will I feel after the operation?

e¢ When your operation is over, you will
be moved to the “Recovery Room”
near to the operating theatre. Here you
will be cared for by a specially trained
health professional, until you are
awake and you condition is stable.

e If you have had a general anaesthetic,
at first you will feel drowsy. You may
feel sick and sore around the site of
your operation. Your throat may feel
dry, like a mild sore throat.

e When you are fully recovered from the
anaesthetic, the recovery/ward nurse
will offer you something to drink or eat
such as tea/coffee, toast or a biscuit.

What operation did | have & who is
my surgeon?

You had

Your Surgeon

Secretary’s No.

Leaflet Name: Discharge Information Leaflet
Leaflet Lead Name:
Date Leaflet Developed: October 2013

Discharge arrangements
You must -

Arrange for a responsible adult to
accompany you home, and stay with you for
24 hours following your operation. You must
let us know if you’re unable to arrange this.

e Please bring enough money to cover
prescriptions charges, if you have to
pay for them. If you have a medicines
exemption card, please bring this with
you.

Make sure you have a supply of your
regular medication and simple
painkillers e.g. paracetamol, at home
for when you are discharged.

Inform the nurse on admission if you
require a sick leave certificate.

Discharge
Please note:

e The average day surgery stay is half a
day, while short stay surgery is usually
overnight or for 2-3 nights. Discharge
times may vary according to the nature
of your operation and sometimes there
are unforeseen delays.

+ Please ask your escort to contact
for pick up
from discharge lounge.

+ Wealso need a contact number for
your escort home

e You must not use public transport or
drive yourself home.

Date Leaflet Approved: 26/11/2013 Page 1 of 3
Issue Date: 06/12/2013 Ref: 1593
Review Date: 21/10/2016 Version No: 1

Post-Discharge Advice

1.

If you have wounds that require
removal of sutures or clips etc,
arrangements will be made for these to
be removed in the community by the
discharge team.

Please confirm the arrangements with
the nurse discharging you.

If you do not have stitches or clips in
your wounds, the community nurse
does not need to look at them.

Your wounds are usually covered with
waterproof dressings and you will be
able to take a shower the day after
sugary — dab the dressing dry quickly
to avoid coming off.

After about 5 days you can remove the
dressing yourself. Please do not take
a bath until your wound is fully healed.

If you are being discharged with
drains, feeding tube (gastrostomy or
jejunostomy) or stoma (needing
bags etc.), please ask for adequate
dressing supplies (or bags) for use at
home until you can get more supplies
from the community nurse.

Please check these arrangements with
the discharging nurse.

If you have any doubts about your
wounds (or drains/tubes/stoma etc),
please discuss with the discharging
nurse or team of doctors caring for you
before leaving the discharge lounge or
ward.

Dietary Advice

Leatlet Name: Disc! jon Leaflet

Standard Dietary Advice ~

Light diet for the first 24 hours,
normally returning to your usual diet
thereafter.

It is not unusual to need to avoid some
foods over the next few days - adjust
your diet as necessary.

¢ Special Dietary Advice —

If you have had a surgical procedure
that needs specific dietary advice, then
the appropriate dietary advice leaflet
will be given for you to follow.

If this box is ticked, please ask the
discharge nurse for the advice leaflet
before going home.

Problems after Discharge?

Please see the following advice if you have
any problems at home after being discharged
from hospital after surgery.

(This applies to the period shortly after
discharge — up to 2 weeks)

A. Contacting during working hours
(9am - 5pm in the working week)

Please contact the secretary and leave
a message for the surgical team. You
will be contacted with appropriate
advice or management plan.

If you think that your condition is
serious then it is best to come
straight to Aintree Accident &
Emergency department’, which can
manage serious problems in the
best possible manner.

B. Out of hours

(after 50m during working
week/weekend/bank holiday)

Please seek advice from your GP for
minor complications.

If you are not sure or if you think it
is a serious problem, please come
to Aintree Accident & Emergency
department’ for a review and further
management.

Leaflet Lead Name;

Date Leaflet Developed: October 2013

Date Leaflet Approved: 26/11/2013
Issue Date: 06/12/2013
Review Date: 21/10/2016

Page 2 of 3
Ref: 1593
Version No: 1

*When you come to the hospital please
bring this and any other relevant
discharge documents that you may
have been given at the time of
discharge to help the A&E doctors to
decide your management easily.

University Hospital Aintree has a major
Accident & Emergency Department and
receives many Emergency Admissions
requiring priority over available beds, which
may on occasion mean that planned
admissions have to be cancelled at extremely
short notice

“> f@ lk

If you require a special edition of
this leaflet

This leaflet is available in large print,
Braille, on audio tape or disk and in other
languages on request. Please contact the

Equality and Diversity Department on:

0151 529 4969

Aintree University Hospital NHS
Foundation Trust is not responsible for
the content of any material referenced

in this leaflet that has not been
produced and approved by the Trust.

Leaflet Name: Discharge Information Leaflet Date Leaflet Approved: 26/11/2013
Leaflet Lead — Issue Date: 06/12/2013
Date Leaflet Developed: October 2013 Review Date: 21/10/2016

!

Page 3 of 3
Ref: 1593
Version No: 1

Advice After Discharge
(Complex Benign Surgery)

CG APPROVED y&

Aintree University Hospital NHS |

NHS Foundation Trust

Where quality matters

Division of Surgery and Anaesthetics

Lower Lane
Liverpool L9 7AL
Tel:0151-525-5980

Meeting your surgeon and
anaesthetist before surgery

You will have the opportunity to meet both
the Surgeon and Anaesthetist prior to going
into theatre

Please feel free to ask any questions
you may have regarding surgery or
after-surgery care.

How will | feel after the operation?

What operation did | have & who is

When your operation is over, you will
be moved to the “Recovery Room”
near to the operating theatre. Here
you will be cared for by a specially
trained health professional, until you
are awake and your condition is
stable.

If you have had a general
anaesthetic, at first you will feel
drowsy. You may feel sick and sore
around the site of your operation.
Your throat may feel dry, like a mild
sore throat.

After the operation you will be taken
back to the ward or if you need extra
care you will be taken to the Critical

Care Unit as appropriate.

my surgeon?
You had

Your Surgeon

Clinical Nurse Specialist

Secretary’s No.

Discharge arrangements

You must -

Please bring enough money to cover
prescriptions charges, if you have to
pay for them. If you have a
medicines exemption card, please
bring this with you.

Make sure you have a supply of your
regular medication and simple
painkillers e.g. paracetamol, at home
for when you are discharged.

Inform the nurse on admission if you
require a sick leave certificate.

Discharge

Please note:

The average stay in hospital after
major surgery will be discussed with
you by the operating surgeon and
your specialist nurse. Your stay may
be longer if you develop any
complications.

Please ask your escort to contact
for pick up
from discharge lounge.

We also need a contact number for
your escort home

eaflet Lead Name:

Date Leaflet Developed:

Leaflet Name: Discharge Information Leaflet
Le
clober

Date Leaflet Approved: 26/11/2013
Issue Date: 06/12/2013
Review Date: 21/10/2016

Page 1 of 3
Ref: 1596
Version No: 1

You must not use public transport
or drive yourself home.

Post-Discharge Advice

1.

If you have wounds that require
removal of sutures or clips eic,
arrangements will be made for these
to be removed in the community by
the discharge team. Please confirm
the arrangements with the nurse
discharging you.

If you do not have stitches or clips in
your wounds, the community nurse
does not need to look at them.

Your wounds are usually covered
with waterproof dressings and you
will be able to take a shower the day
after sugary — dab the dressing dry
quickly to avoid coming off.

After about 5 days you can remove
the dressing yourself. Please do not
take a bath until your wound is fully
healed.

. If you are being discharged with

drains, feeding tube (gastrostomy
or jejunostomy) or stoma (needing
bags etc.), please ask for adequate
dressing supplies (or bags) for use at
home until you can get more
supplies from the community nurse.

Please check these arrangements
with the discharging nurse.

. If you have any doubts about your

wounds (or drains/tubes/stoma etc),
please discuss with the discharging
nurse or team of doctors caring for
you before leaving the discharge
lounge or ward.

Dietary Advice

Leatlet Name: Discharge Information Leaflet
Leaflet Lead Name:
Date Leaflet Developed: October 2013

Standard Dietary Advice —

Light diet for the first 24 hours,
normally returning to your usual diet
thereafter.

It is not unusual to need to avoid
some foods over the next few days -
adjust your diet as necessary.

e Special Dietary Advice —

If you have had a surgical procedure
that needs specific dietary advice,
then the appropriate dietary advice
leaflet will be given for you to follow.

If this box is ticked, please ask the
discharge nurse for the advice leaflet
before going home.

Problems after Discharge?

Please see the following advice if you have
any problems at home after being
discharged from hospital after surgery.

(This applies to the period shortly after
discharge — up to 2 weeks)

A. Contacting during working hours
(9am - 5pm in the working week)

Please contact the secretary and
leave a message for the surgical
team. You will be contacted with
appropriate advice or management
plan.

if you think that your condition is
serious then It is best to come
straight to Aintree Accident &
Emergency department*, which
can manage serious problems in
the best possible manner.

B. Out of hours

(after 5pm during working
week/weekend/bank holiday)

Please seek advice from your GP for
minor complications.

If you are not sure or if you think it
is a serious problem, please come
to Aintree Accident & Emergency
department* for a review and

Date Leaflet Approved: 26/11/2013
Issue Date: 06/12/2013
Review Date: 21/10/2016

further management.
Page 2 of 3
Ref: 1596
Version No: 1

|

*When you come to the hospital
please bring this and any other
relevant discharge documents that
you may have been given at the time
of discharge to help the A&E doctors
to decide your management.

University Hospital Aintree has a major
Accident & Emergency Department and
receives many Emergency Admissions
requiring priority over available beds, which
may on occasion mean that planned
admissions have to be cancelled at
extremely short notice

‘Oo B®

If you require a special edition of
this leaflet

This leaflet is available in large print,
Braille, on audio tape or disk and in other
languages on request. Please contact the

Equality and Diversity Department on:

0151 529 4969

Aintree University Hospital NHS
Foundation Trust is not responsible for
the content of any material referenced

in this leaflet that has not been

produced and approved by the Trust.

Leaflet Lead Name: issue Date: 06/12/2013 Ref; 1596

Leaflet Name: Discharge Information Leaflet Date Leaflet Approved: 26/11/2013 Page 3 of 3
|
Date Leaflet Developed: October 2013 Review Date: 21/10/2016 Version No: 1

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