Prevention of Future Deaths reports · 2016

Peter Keep

Regulation 28 report to prevent future deaths, reference 2016-0362, written 14 Oct 2016. A coroner writes one of these when an inquest reveals a risk that could cause further deaths unless something changes.

Date of report14 Oct 2016
Reference2016-0362
DeceasedPeter Keep
CoronerKaren Henderson
Coroner areaSurrey
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.

REGULATION 28 REPORT TO PREVENT FUTURE DEATHS

THIS REPORT IS BEING SENT TO:

4. Sir Andrew Morris, Chief Executive, Frimley Park Hospital

2. TS Medical Director, Frimley Park Hospital

CORONER

lam Karen HENDERSON, assistant coroner for the coroner area of Surrey

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
On 18" August 2015 | commenced an investigation into the death of Peter John Keep, 82 years of age.

The investigation concluded at the end of the inquest on 8th June 2016, The medical cause of death given
was:

1a. Pulmonary Oedema

1b. Perforation of the right ventricle

1c. Insertion of pacemaker for heart block
2.

My conclusion was: Died from a recognised complication of a necessary procedure

CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE DEATH

Mr Keep was a generally fit and well 82 year old man who was admitted into Frimley Park Hospital on 1*
August 2015 following a fall at home. During his admission he was incidentally found to have Mobitz type
2 heart block and was recommended to have a pacemaker insertion. He consented and this was
undertaken on the 4th August 2015. Prior to the procedure he was very anxious and | heard evidence he
had a needle phobia. He was given 2.5mg ‘diazemuls’ (diazepam) intravenously and as he was still anxious
was given a further 2.5 mg ‘diazemuls’ some ten minutes or so later. He was then given 2.5 mg diamorphine

intravenously.

During the initial part of the procedure | heard evidence that he was relatively settled. However, the
pacemaker insertion was proving difficult and required multiple attempts without success. Mr Keep became
uncomfortable and began waving his arms around during the time the pacemaker wires were being
inserted. | heard evidence that the movement more likely than not would have increased the risk of
ventricular perforation. He was given a further dose of 2.5 mg diazemuls. Shortly thereafter he ‘lost’ his
airway and required a nasopharyngeal airway and high flow oxygen mask for an unspecified period of time.

No consideration was given to abandoning the procedure or to ask for assistance. The pacemaker insertion
continued and shortly thereafter Mr Keep had a precipitous fall in his blood pressure. He was found to have
developed cardiac tamponade as a consequence of a perforation of the right ventricle from the attempted
insertion of a pacemaker wire. This was treated with a pericardial drain which drained 500mis of blood. Mr
Keep's blood pressure improved and a decision was made to continue with the pacemaker insertion with
another cardiologist. Shortly after completion, Mr Keep suffered a pulseless electrical activity cardiac arrest
and despite full resuscitation died later that night on the Intensive Care Unit in Frimley Park Hospital.

i
i
H

CORONER’S CONCERNS

During the course of the inquest the evidence revealed matters giving rise for concern. In my opinion there
is a risk that future death 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:

4. Inappropriate use of sedation and a lack of a sedation policy for cardiac electrophysiological
procedures.

2. Anabsence ora lack of knowledge of a Trust policy for safe sedation outside the operating theatre
environment, which could therefore not be considered or implemented.

3. An incoherent approach to sedation for procedures in the catheter Lab. with different clinicians
using different drugs inconsistently e.g. use of an anxiolytic for discomfort.

4. No regular training for safe and appropriate use of anxiolytics and analgesics e.g. understanding
their action and possible adverse effects or consideration of appropriate age related dosing.

5. Lack of an action plan for patients who do not tolerate the procedure.

6. Lack of an action plan as to who to call for assistance in circumstances when a patient's airway is
lost or there is difficulty in placing a pacemaker wire.

7. Lack of understanding as to what observations are taken and are required during the procedure
e.g. belief that the pulse oximeter measures respiratory rate

| ACTION SHOULD BE TAKEN
In my opinion action should be taken to prevent future deaths and | believe you and your organisation:

Frimley Park Hospital NHS Trust has the power to take such action.

YOUR RESPONSE

You are under a duty to respond to this report within 56 days of its date. |, the coroner, may extend this
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 opy of my report to the Chief Coroner and to the following Interested Persons: =’
(wife), a ee 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 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.

DATE: 14" October 2016 SIGNED: Dr Karen Henderson

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 Frimley Health NHS Trust (PDF)
Frimley Health

oundation Frust

Frimley Park Hospital
Portsmouth Road

Frimley
Camberley
Surrey

GU16 7U)

th
8" December 2016 Tel: 01276 604604

Or Karen Henderson
HM Coroner

HM Coroner’s Court
Station Approach
WOKING Surrey
GU22 7AP

Dear Dr Henderson
RE: Mr Peter KEEP (Deceased)

Thank you for your letter dated 14" October 2016 and the attached Regulation 28 Prevention of Future
Deaths Report relating to the above named.

We have reviewed the concerns raised following the Inquest into Mr Keep’s death and have outlined below
what actions have been taken in an effort to improve the pathway for patients requiring sedation as part of
a procedure,

Contrary to the evidence heard at the Inquest, the Cardiology Department does have a guideline for
intravenous conscious sedation which was in place at the time of Mr Keep’s procedure and which addresses
many of the concerns raised through the Inquest including titration of drug doses, monitoring expected to
be used, frequency of observations and training (copy enclosed).

In the case of an emergency, as in any other interventional procedure, if the procedure proved to be
difficult, help would be expected to be sought from other consultants. in the event of not achieving
adequate sedation to allow a procedure to continue, the procedure should either be cancelled and re-
booked with an alternative plan in place or help sought from an anaesthetist and appropriate resources in
order to Increase sedation whilst maintaining safety. Emergencies due to over-sedation or cardio-
respiratory compromise should be escalated via Trust’s normal route of calling ‘2222’ to activate the
emergency team.

Committee which will be chaired by Deputy Medical Director and Chief of Service for
Anaesthetics. The Committee are currently reviewing and revising the Trustwide Guideline for intravenous
Conscious Sedation of Adults addressing intravenous sedation in all clinical settings standardising the
processes followed. The policy is in draft and going through the Trust's internal ratification processes
together with the draft terms of reference for the Sedation Group (drafts of both attached).

The Trust has also used your letter and ne . " an opportunity to relaunch the Trust Safe Sedation

|
|
|

The Cardiology team have discussed Mr Keep’s case through their internal Morbidity & Mortality processes
to share the learning from this case and to ensure there is awareness of the expectations in terms of
conscious sedation within the Cardiac Catheter Laboratory.

The Trust is committed to patient safety and takes cases such as this very seriously and hope this is
demonstrated in our response to the concerns raised.
However, if | can be of any further assistance, please do not hesitate in contacting me.

Yours sincerely

Sir Andrew Morris OBE Hon FRCP
Chief Executive

Enc

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