Prevention of Future Deaths reports · 2016

Leslie Murray

Regulation 28 report to prevent future deaths, reference 2016-0016, written 21 Jan 2016. A coroner writes one of these when an inquest reveals a risk that could cause further deaths unless something changes.

Date of report21 Jan 2016
Reference2016-0016
DeceasedLeslie Murray
CoronerFiona Wilcox
Coroner areaLondon Inner (West)
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

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

Mr Miles Scott,

Chief Executive,

St George’s Hospital,
Blackshaw Road,
Tooting,

London.

SW17 OQT.

1 | CORONER

| am Dr Fiona Wilcox, Senior Coroner, for the coroner area of Inner West London

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

On the 30" day of July 2015 | opened an investigation touching the death of Leslie
Douglas Murray, who died aged 89 years on the 28" July 2015 in St George’s
Hospital

The inquest was concluded on the 13” January 2016 at Westminster Coroner’s
Court.

The medical cause of death was recorded as:

1(a) Bronchopneumonia.
(b) Acute Subdural Haemorrhage and Cervical Spine Fracture.
(c) Fall

2 Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease and Hypertension.

How, when and where and in what circumstances the deceased came by his
death:

On the 24/7/2015, Mr Murray fell down stairs sustaining injuries including spinal
injuries at home. He was admitted to Frimley Park and then St Georges Hospital.
He was assessed as requiring 1:1 nursing care, but cover was not available: On
27/7/2015 he fell from his bed sustaining further injuries that led to and caused his
death. If the extra cover had been in place to provide him with 1:1 care, this fall
would have been prevented. He died on 28" July 2015

Conclusion of the Coroner as to the death:

Accident

CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE DEATH

Evidence taken at the inquest was that there were three such patients requiring 1:1 on
27/7/2015, but only one extra HCA to provide that cover. This meant that the ward was
down 2 HCAs at the material time. | was satisfied that the nurses had done all that they
could to request cover and had positioned these patients close to the nursing station
and together to try and observe them closely. Mr Murray fell when the HCA and nurse
were attending another patient close by.

| was satisfied on the balance of probabilities that if there had been the appropriate
number of staff on duty such that Mr Murray had not been left unattended then simple
reassurance would have been enough to prevent him from trying to climb of bed when
he awoke disorientated, as this had always been sufficient in the past. The head injury
he sustained worsened his clinical condition and thus contributed to his death, which
occurred the day after the hospital fall.

The court also heard that such situations were no cover is provided for patients
requiring 1:1 care occurs frequently on the ward where Mr Murray was being cared for
at the time of the fall.

-CORONER’S CONCERNS
The MATTERS OF CONCERN are as follows. —

(1) That insufficient cover is provided to allow 1:1 care to be given to patients that
require it on this ward (Holdsworth) and likely others throughout the hospital,
and as such patients are suffering preventable falls that may be causing fatal
injury, or suffering other care deficiencies that may cause or contribute to death.

ACTION SHOULD BE TAKEN

In my opinion action should be taken to prevent future deaths and | believe you
[AND/OR your organisation] have the power to take such action. It is for each addressee
to identify the concerns relevant to their own areas of responsibility.

YOUR RESPONSE

You are under a duty to respond to this report within 56 days of the date of this report;
namely by 17" March 2016. I, 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 :

David Behan

Chief Executive

caQc

Citygate

Gallowgate
Newcastle upon Tyne
NE1 4PA

Simon Stevens
Chief Executive
NHS England
PO Box 16738
Redditch

B97 9PT

Ms

Ward Manager
Holdsworth Ward

St George’s Hospital
Blackshaw Road
London

SW17 OQT.

| 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.

21% January 2016.

Dr Fiona Wilcox

HM Senior Coroner

Inner West London |
Westminster Coroner’s Court
65 Horseferry Road

London

SW1P 2ED.

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