Prevention of Future Deaths reports · 2015

Noel Jones

Regulation 28 report to prevent future deaths, reference 2015-0155, written 22 Apr 2015. A coroner writes one of these when an inquest reveals a risk that could cause further deaths unless something changes.

Date of report22 Apr 2015
Reference2015-0155
DeceasedNoel Jones
CoronerGeraint Williams
Coroner areaWorcestershire
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.

ANNEX A

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. Chief Executive Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust
2.
ae

1 | CORONER

| am Geraint Urias Williams, Senior Coroner, for the coroner area of Worcestershire

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 | INVESTIGATION and INQUEST

On 17" November 2014 | commenced an investigation into the death of Noel Owen
JONES then aged 77 years.

The investigation concluded at the end of the inquest on 16 April 2015.

The conclusion of the inquest was he died as the result of known complication of
necessary surgery the medical cause of death being 1(a) Shock, 1(b) haemorrhage from
left iliac artery and perforated descending colon following cystectomy, 2, atherosclerosis,
inhalation of gastric contents, ischaemic heart disease, cancer of the upper rectum
irradiation for testicular cancer .

4 | CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE DEATH

On 2™ October 2014 Mr Jones underwent surgery at the Alexandra hospital. He was
later discharged before being admitted on two occasions to the Hereford County
Hospital.

It is clear that upon his admission to Hereford on 15'" November 2014 he was severely
unwell and had sustained an internal haemorrhage.

The clinicians at Hereford struggled to have Mr Jones admitted to a variety of hospitals
including Worcestershire Royal Hospital.

Ultimately when Mr Jones appeared to be in extremis Worcestershire Royal Hospital
agreed to accept him and he was rushed there by ambulance but died shortly after his
arrival.

It appears that there was a four hour delay between the first telephone call to
Worcestershire Royal asking for him to be admitted and his ultimate acceptance.

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. —

(1) Evidence was given that had Mr Jones been accepted by Worcestershire Royal
Hospital earlier he would "on the balance of probability" have survived this episode
(2) Evidence was given that there is within Worcestershire Royal Hospital no out of
hours service for vascular surgery or interventional radiology

(3)

ACTION SHOULD BE TAKEN

In my opinion action should be taken to prevent future deaths and | believe you have
the power to take such action by reviewing the out of hours or on-call arrangements for
vascular surgery or interventional radiology in the case of critically ill patients who needs
to be transferred in from elsewhere.

YOUR RESPONSE

You are under a duty to respond to this report within 56 days of the date of this report,
namely by 17" June 2015 |, 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 ext of kin)

| 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.

G U Williams 22nd day of April 2015
H M Senior Coroner

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 Worcestershire NHS Trust (PDF)
Worcestershire NHS)

Acute Hospitals NHS Trust

Your ref: GUW/TW/W2382.14 Worcestershire Royal Hospital
Our ref: CT/jc/INQ/205 (5408) Charles Hastings Way
Worcester
17 June 2015 Worcestershire
WRS5 1DD

PRIVATE & CONFIDENTIAL

Mr G U Williams

H M Senior Coroner for the County of Worcestershire
Worcestershire Coroners Court

The Civic

Martins Way

Stourport-on-Severn

Worcestershire

DY13 8UJ

Dear Mr Williams

Re: Noel Owen Jones deceased
Regulation 28: Report to Prevent Future Deaths

| am writing with reference to your letter dated 22 April 2015 in which you raised two
concerns regarding Trust procedures following evidence which you heard at the
inquest into the death of Mr Jones. As a result of your letter | confirm that | have
reviewed the Trust’s processes in respect of the following action:

e Review: the out of hours or on-call arrangements for vascular surgery or
interventional radiology in the case of critically ill patients who need to be
transferred in from elsewhere.

Attached is my response that sets out in detail the Trust’s procedures and the actions
which have been taken in response to your concerns.

| hope that this information provides assurance to you. However, if you require any
additional information please do not hesitate to contact me.

Yours sincerely

Acting Chief Executive

Chairman: Harry Turner
Chief Executive: Penny Venables

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