Prevention of Future Deaths reports · 2016

Matthew Crowley

Regulation 28 report to prevent future deaths, reference 2016-0063, written 17 Feb 2016. A coroner writes one of these when an inquest reveals a risk that could cause further deaths unless something changes.

Date of report17 Feb 2016
Reference2016-0063
DeceasedMatthew Crowley
CoronerPatricia Harding
Coroner areaMid Kent and Medway
CategoryHospital Death (Clinical Procedures and medical management) related deaths
Organisation namedMaidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust
Sourcejudiciary.uk record · original PDF
Responses publishednone published

The report

Text extracted from the PDF text layer. Reproduced verbatim, including the scan's own layout.

REGULATION 28:  REPORT TO PREVENT FUTURE DEATHS (1) 

. 

REGULATION 28 REPORT TO PREVENT FUTURE DEATHS 

THIS REPORT IS BEING SENT TO: 

1.  Chief Executive Maidstone & Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust 

1 

CORONER 

I am Patricia Harding, senior coroner for the coroner area of Mid Kent & Medway 

2 

CORONER’S LEGAL POWERS 

I 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 17th June 2015 I commenced an investigation into the death of Matthew Crowley, 39 
years. The investigation concluded at the end of the inquest on 17th February 2016. The 
conclusion of the inquest was that Matthew Crowley died at 06.47 on 10th June 2015 at 
Pembury Hospital following a transfer from Maidstone Hospital.  He had presented to 
Maidstone Hospital at 17.08 on 9th June 2015 acutely unwell. Supportive treatment was 
given  at  22.00  to  which  he  initially  responded   but  he  thereafter  deteriorated  and 
supportive  measures  were  not  escalated.  He  succumbed  to  an  overwhelming  sepsis 
caused  by  a  pseudoaneurysm  of  his  left  thigh  which  had  developed  as  a  result  of 
intravenous drug abuse.  

4 

CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE DEATH 

Matthew Crowley was brought by ambulance to Maidstone Hospital at 17.08 9th June 
2015. He was triaged approximately 40 minutes later and found to have a PAR 5. He 
was first seen by a doctor at 19.28 and found to be septic with acute kidney injury, liver 
and respiratory failure. He had a mass in his upper thigh and an oedematous mottled 
leg. Supportive measures were not put in place until 22.00 as a result of difficulties in 
placing a peripheral line. Options were discussed to transfer him to a vascular centre, 
ITU or the surgical site of hospital at Pembury. He continued to deteriorate during this 
time, measures were not escalated. A decision was made 9 hours after his arrival to 
transfer him to Pembury. He died some 2 hours after arrival. A post mortem established 
the cause of death as 1a sepsis, 1b pseudoaneurysm left thigh, 1c intravenous drug 
abuse 

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 

1

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 circumstances it is my statutory duty to report to you. 

The MATTERS OF CONCERN are as follows.  –  

(1)  A Rapid Access Treatment Protocol (RATT) was not in operation as a result of a 
busy A&E department which was short staffed. This resulted in a delay in triage  
(2)  The patient was not seen by a doctor for 2 hours 20 minutes despite being PAR 

5 and requiring therefore an immediate review by a senior doctor 

(3)  There was a delay in ownership and onward management of the patient which 
resulted in timely decisions not being made. On call consultants responsible for 
those decisions were not aware of the patient deteriorating because they did not 
personally review the patient and were not informed of, or did not secure 
updated information themselves of how acutely unwell the patient was.  

(4)  Despite a vascular site declining to accept the patient until his renal function was 
optimised and a CT angiogram performed, a delay was caused by enquiries 
being made whether a second vascular site would accept the patient 

(5)  The ITU of the hospital to which the patient was transferred were not informed of 

the transfer 

6 

ACTION SHOULD BE TAKEN 

In my opinion action should be taken to prevent future deaths and I believe your 
organisation has the power to take such action.  

7 

YOUR RESPONSE 

You are under a duty to respond to this report within 56 days of the date of this report, 
namely by 15th April 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. 

8 

COPIES and PUBLICATION 

I have sent a copy of my report to the Chief Coroner and to the following Interested 
Persons 

brother, CQC 

I 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. 

9 

17th February 2016                                         [SIGNED BY CORONER] 

2

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