Prevention of Future Deaths reports · 2015

Sidney Barnett

Regulation 28 report to prevent future deaths, reference 2015-0222, written 12 Jun 2015. A coroner writes one of these when an inquest reveals a risk that could cause further deaths unless something changes.

Date of report12 Jun 2015
Reference2015-0222
DeceasedSidney Barnett
CoronerJohn Pollard
Coroner areaManchester South
CategoryOther 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

REGULATION 28 REPORT TO PREVENT FUTURE DEATHS

THIS REPORT IS BEING SENT TO: iim Manager, Berrycroft

Manor Care Home.

(2) Head of Adult Social Care, Stockport Metropolitan Borough Council.

1. | CORONER

| am John Pollard, senior coroner, for the coroner area of South Manchester

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 14" January 2015 | commenced an investigation into the death of Sidney Barnett
dob 7" February 1924. The investigation concluded on the 12" June 2015 and the
conclusion was one of Natural Causes. The medical cause of death was 1a
Bronchopneumonia 1b Dementia 11. Coronary Artery Atheroma and Type 2 Diabetes
Mellitus.

4 | CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE DEATH

The deceased was resident at a Care Home for the elderly. He was gradually
declining in health. On the 21** December 2014 he was in his room and was seen
by his relatives to be without socks, he had the remnants of his dinner all over the
front of his clothes, he was unshaven and he was struggling to eat a bowl of
custard, alone and unattended.

The following day his relatives again visited him at the home and he was seen to
be wearing only a T shirt and was sitting in his chair close to a window which was
open, even though it was late December and the weather was cold. Later that
evening he was seen by a District Nurse who was there to administer his insulin,
and she, through the out-of-hours doctor, immediately admitted him to hospital
where he died from pneumonia on the 3 January 2015.

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. Whilst at Berrycroft, the level and quality of observation of the client
appears to have been inadequate.

2. There was an insufficiency of care shown to the deceased in terms of his
general welfare (whether he was warm enough, whether he was washed
and shaved, whether he was able to take his meals safely, whether his
clothing was adequate and clean etc.).

3. The ‘cleaner’ at the care Home “opens the windows, whatever..” There
seemed to be no clear rule in place as regards the appropriateness of the
windows being open.

[Items 1to 3 should be addressed by Berrycroft]

4. Asaresult of these matters a safeguarding alert was raised by the
hospital team, and this was investigated by the Adult Safeguarding Team
at the Council. Both a member of that investigation and the Chairperson of
the meetings, agreed that the level of inquiry had been inadequate and
that they ought not to have concluded that the ‘complaint’ was
unsubstantiated.

5. The system for looking into these matters is vague and unstructured and
will inevitably lead to an insufficiency of investigation. Too much reliance
is placed on what the “Care home” employees say, without testing that
and further querying what actually happened.

[Items 4 and § to be answered by S.M.B.C.]

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.

YOUR RESPONSE

You are under a duty to respond to this report within 56 days of the date of this report,
namely by 7" August 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 rare A rote of the deceased). | have also sent it to
CQC who may find it useful or of interest.

| 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, id 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 fhe release or the publication of your response by the Chief Coroner.

12.6.15 John Pollard, HM 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 Respondent Not Named (PDF)
BERRYCROFT MANOR

Response to regulation 28 issued by Mr J Pollard Senior Coroner resulting from concerns raised at

the inquest of Mr Sydney Barnett (deceased )Completed by

2015.

Manager on 19" June

CONCERN

ACTION TAKEN

COMPLETED BY

1. Observation of resident was inadequate

All resident’s with in the
home to have a room visit
chart in place ,this is to be
completed by care staff
and checked by Senior care
staff.

This form must be
completed when a resident
wishes to remain in their
room and or takes meals in
their rooms.

A resident is to be checked
hourly and every fifteen
mins if meals are taken in
rooms.

This action is
enforce with
immediate effect

2. General welfare of resident’s was
insufficient .=,ie clothes soiled with food
concern around warmth ,personal care
and supervision of meals while being

taken in room.

All personal care forms to
be completed in care plans
documentation must be
made if a residents refuses
care.

A rolling programme of
dignity training (DELIVERED
BY THE MANAGER ) is in
place for all staff focusing
on personal care standards

Action is on going
and should be
delivered to all
staff by October
2015

[and dignity . L
3. Concerns raised around domestic The room visit checks In place with
opening windows and leaving them open | incorporate a section for immediate affect
in residents room particularly in the the opening and closing of
winter months . windows .

The home is a new build
with insulated walls and
has heating on 24hours a
day ,seven days a yeara
resident may wish to have
the window open if they
become to warm this
choice must be
documented in the care
plan . If a residents has
capacity to ask for the
window to be open this
choice is to be documented

BERRYCROFT MANOR

in the care plan.

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