Prevention of Future Deaths reports · 2013

David Douglas Hackman

Regulation 28 report to prevent future deaths, reference 2013-0346, written 10 Sep 2013. A coroner writes one of these when an inquest reveals a risk that could cause further deaths unless something changes.

Date of report10 Sep 2013
Reference2013-0346
DeceasedDavid Douglas Hackman
CoronerDavid Ridley
Coroner areaWiltshire & Swindon
CategoryHospital Death (Clinical Procedures and medical management) related deaths
Sourcejudiciary.uk record · original PDF
Responses publishednone published

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.

H.M. Coroner
for Wiltshire & Swindon

Wiltshire & Swindon Coroner’s Court
26 Endless Street

Salisbury
David W.G.Ridley Wiltshire
Senior Coroner SP1 1DP

DX58034 Salisbury

Tel: (01722) 438900

My ref: DR.A.1114.12

The Chief Executive
NHS England

PO Box 16738
REDDITCH

B97 9PT

Dear Sir

REGULATION 28 REPORT TO PREVENT FUTURE DEATHS
s HACKMAN

lam the Senior Coroner for the above Coroner Area.

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

On the 10 September 2013 | concluded the Inquest into the death of David Hackman who
was born on the 11 November 1937. | determined that the cause of death was that David
died from multiple traumatic injuries as a result from a fall from a height. My conclusion as
recorded on the Record of Inguest was that David Hackman took his own life.

The circumstances of his deatt were that David had got into financial difficulties. He had
no history of depression but | on the 23 June 2013 he took up to 32 paracetamol tablets at
his home address before alerting the emergency services and in particular the ambulance
service. They arrived at about 1700 hours the same day and took David to the Accident &
Emergency Department at the Great Western Hospital in Swindon. Attending medical
personnel undertook and internal assessment that triggered contact being made with the
supplier of mental health services, The Avon & Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership, and a

Main Administrative Office: 26 Endless Street, Salisbury, Wiltshire SP1 1DP
Office: 01722 438900 Fax: 01722 332223 DX: 58034 SALISBURY Email: WSCoronersoffice@wiltshire.gov.uk

mental health assessment was undertaken early evening the following day, Sunday 24
June 2012. Earlier that Sunday morning David had made a couple of attempts to walk off
and outside the Ambulatory Care Unit before being guided back to the observation unit by a
Staff Nurse. David fully cooperated during the mental health assessment and was not
found to be suffering from any mental illness and presented no continuing suicidal ideation.
At approximately 11.35 the following day David got dressed and walked out of the
Ambulatory Care Unit unnoticed before boarding a bus at 11.40 that took him into the
centre of Swindon. He got off the bus, climbed to a 37 storey on a nearby multi storey car
park before jumping off the multi storey car park to his death at approximately 12.15 the
same day.

During the course of the Inquest | was satisfied that at the relevant time up to the point he
left the unit following David’s mental health assessment, that he did not present a real and
immediate risk that he would take his own life. Whilst there was a possible risk, | did not
determine that it amounted to a significant and substantial risk based on his presentation to
the mental health practitioners and GWH staff. Following this tragic event the Great
Western Hospital and Avon & Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership have worked together
and in particular the Great Western Hospital very soon after this incident installed a card
system in the observation unit making it impossible or at least very hard for patients to
leave without one of the nursing staff or other medical practitioner using their Keri card to
release the door mechanism. Various other changes have been introduced in an attempt to
minimise future risk to patients.

At the end of the Inquest | heard evidence as regards the concordance of voluntary
arrangements that were established in 2004 and as regards the national reporting and
learning service but | am concerned here as regards how this specific incident and in
particular its lessons are being disseminated to the wider health care community in England
& Wales and in particular other Trusts. | understand the general principle but | would be
grateful if you could please specifically explain relevant to this particular incident and the
learning exercise that’s been carried out as to how the lessons learned have been
communicated and if they have not been communicated to review as to why no action is
being taken in that respect with a view to the prevention of future deaths.

You are under a duty to respond to this report within 56 days of the date of this report,
namely by 5 November 2013, however, if you require an extension to that period then you
will need to make a timely request in writing to me. Your response must contain details of
the actions taken or proposed to be taken, setting out the timetable for action. If no action
is to be taken then you must explain why no action is proposed.

| have sent copies of my report to the Chief Coroner and to the following interested
persons:-

EE © xecutor
Bevan Brittan, Solicitors representing The Great Western Hospital
Avon & Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership (Caroline Saunders).

| have also copied this report to the The Rt. Hon. Jeremy Hunt — Secretary of State for
Health and the Care Quality Commission. | 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

interest. You may make representation to me, the Coroner, at the time of your response
about the release or the publication of your response by the Chief Coroner.

Yours sincerely

«
JD NO —|
David Ridley
Senior Coroner

Copy to: The Chief Coroner
HE © xecutor
Bevan Brittan
Avon & Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership
The Rt. Hon. Jeremy Hunt — Secretary of State for Health
Care Quality Commission

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