Prevention of Future Deaths reports · 2014

Barbara White

Regulation 28 report to prevent future deaths, reference 2014-0015, written 13 Jan 2014. A coroner writes one of these when an inquest reveals a risk that could cause further deaths unless something changes.

Date of report13 Jan 2014
Reference2014-0015
DeceasedBarbara White
CoronerJoanne Kearsley
Coroner areaManchester South
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.

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

Chief Executive, Tameside General Hospital

CORONER

| am Joanne Kearsley Area Coroner, for the Coroner Area of Manchester
South.

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.

INVESTIGATION and INQUEST

On the 04.01.2013 | commenced an investigation into the death of
Barbara White date of birth 12.06.1935. The investigation concluded at
the end of the inquest on 05.11.2013. The conclusion was that the
deceased died as a result of Natural Causes.

CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE DEATH

On the 8th December 2012 the deceased presented to Tameside
Hospital with symptoms consistent with biliary colic. She was assessed
and a treatment was put in place. On the afternoon of the 9th December
2012 her clinical presentation began to deteriorate and she was reviewed
by a doctor. Blood tests, x-rays and observations were requested. There
was no subsequent review of tests requested, nor were any nursing
observations carried out. At 6am on the 10th December when nursing
observations were carried out the PARS score was incorrectly recorded
and there was therefore a failure to note a significant deterioration in Mrs
White's condition. At 07.05am her PARS score was 0 and she required
emergency intervention. Following this her condition deteriorated and
despite extensive intervention by the Intensive Care Unit she died on the
2nd January 2013.

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. —

1. There was a lack of clinical observations for a period of 12 hours
on the 9th December. In addition no nursing observations were
carried out during this period of time.

2. At6 am Mrs White’s PARS score was recorded as 2 when this
should have been 5 which if correctly recorded would have led to
medical intervention.

3. There was a shortage of staff on duty on the Surgical Unit on the
night of the 9th December. There was only one auxillary nurse who
was not familiar with the Surgical Unit. This Unit is one step down
from the High Dependency Unit and the patients require a high
level of nursing care. However, there was a lack of escalation of
this issue to the Night Nurse Practitioner.

4. There was a lack of information in the patient’s medical records
following the handover from the day staff to the night staff.
Following the review of Mrs White on the 9th December when
further tests had been requested there was a lack of any further
clinical consideration and no escalation to a consultant. At the
Inquest | heard evidence from Di who was the SHO on
duty during the night and who had received the handover from the
day staff. Her evidence was the she had no recollection of Mrs
White being mentioned at the handover and was unaware that
there were outstanding investigations.

ACTION SHOULD BE TAKEN

| believe that this level of information should be mandatory in all Care
establishments and in my opinion action should be taken to prevent future
deaths and | believe your organisation, has 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 10"" March 2014. |, 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 followin
Interested Persons, namely the family of the deceased,

at Hempsons Solicitors (on behalf of the Trust) and to the Coroners’
Society Website.

| 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.

13 January 2014 Joanne Kearsley
HM Area Coroner

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