Prevention of Future Deaths reports · 2016

Norman Dorn

Regulation 28 report to prevent future deaths, reference 2016-0006, written 8 Jan 2016. A coroner writes one of these when an inquest reveals a risk that could cause further deaths unless something changes.

Date of report8 Jan 2016
Reference2016-0006
DeceasedNorman Dorn
CoronerElizabeth Carlyon
Coroner areaCornwall
CategoryCare Home Health 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:

1, Care Quality Commission
2. Cornwall & Isles of Scilly Safeguarding Adults Board

CORONER

| am Dr Elizabeth Emma Carlyon, Senior Coroner for the coroner area of Cornwall

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

Mr Norman Henry Charles Dorn died on the 26" August 2014. An investigation was
opened on the an September 2014 and was concluded by way of an inquest on the 3%
March 2015. The causes of death were 1(a) Asphyxiation 1(b) Complete Obstruction Of
Trachea By Food Particles and in part Il Gastric Mucosal Tear With Severe Bleeding.
An open verdict was returned.

CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE DEATH

Norman Dorn was found and was presumed to be dead in an armchair at Porte Rouge
Residential Home, Vicarage Road, Torpoint at around 11:30 on 26th August 2014 with a
sandwich in his hand and with excess food in his mouth. He was last seen alive 10 to
15 minutes before eating a jam sandwich and drinking apple juice. He was known to
have swallowing problems and had been provided with soft food. There were no staff
trained to recognise death and they did not make attempts to remove the food from his
mouth or resuscitate him as required by the care home policy. Nor did the GP attend in
a timely manner when requested or staff from other emergency services.

It was not clear whether such actions could have resuscitated him or not.

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. That some care homes in Cornwall may not have adequate policies in place for
their residence to appropriately recognise or arrange confirmation of death
(ie. when to call Emergency Service and or GP to recognise death). If such
policies are in place that they are regularly updated and the staff are made
aware of them and given the appropriate training.

2. That some care home in Cornwall my not have an appropriate resuscitation
policy in place to ensure that all attempts have been made to preserve life
(when appropriate). If such policies are in place that they are regularly
updated and staff are made aware of them and given the appropriate training.

ACTION SHOULD BE TAKEN

To review the facts and circumstances of this inquest (disclosure of the statements and
reports can be provided) with a view to reinforcing the need to have clear and adequate
policies in place to recognise death and carry out appropriate resuscitation or call
professional medical help in a timely fashion. In this case the police considered a
possible manslaughter charge against the care home staff.

YOUR RESPONSE

You are under a duty to respond to this report within 56 days of the date of this report,
namely by Monday 4 March 2016. |, 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 next of kin of the
deceased.

lam 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.

08 January 2016 Dr E Carlyon:

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