Prevention of Future Deaths reports · 2016

Melanie Lowe

Regulation 28 report to prevent future deaths, reference 2016-0404, written 11 Nov 2016. A coroner writes one of these when an inquest reveals a risk that could cause further deaths unless something changes.

Date of report11 Nov 2016
Reference2016-0404
DeceasedMelanie Lowe
CoronerCaroline Beasley-Murray
Coroner areaEssex
CategoryHospital Death (Clinical Procedures and medical management) related deaths
Organisation namedNorth Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust
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.

ANNEX A

REGULATION 28: REPORT TO PREVENT FUTURE DEATHS (1)

NOTE: This form is to be used after an inquest.

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

North Essex University NHS Foundation Trust

1 | CORONER

lam Caroline Beasley-Murray, senior coroner, for the coroner area of Essex

+

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 2 March 2016 | commenced an investigation into the death of Melanie Ellen Lowe.
The investigation concluded at the end of the inquest on 9 November 2016. The
conclusion of the inquest was that Melanie Ellen Lowe killed herself. The jury added a
narrative conclusion — Melanie’s risk of self harm/suicide was not properly and

adequately assessed and reviewed. Adequate and appropriate precautions were not
taken to manage her risk of self harm/suicide
4 | CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE DEATH

Melanie Lowe, a 41 year old lady had suffered from somatization disorder over a long
period of time and was sectioned under s2 MHA in the Derwent Centre Harlow. On the
morning of 2 March she was found unresponsive in her room and she was found to have
a wad of tissues obstructing her airway. She died in Princess Alexandra Hospital Harlow
later that day. Both the trust’s own Serious Incident Investigation report and the
independent psychiatric report provided by an independent psychiatrist instructed by the
court were highly critical of the care provided to Melanie in the time leading up to her
death

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) The trust's action plan is very basic, lacking specific detail. Some elements are

blank and there is an absence of supporting evidence. A far more rigorous action
plan is required in an effort to prevent future deaths such as Melanie's.

al

6

ACTION SHOULD BE TAKEN

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

L

7

YOUR RESPONSE

You are under a duty to respond to this report within 56 days of the date of this report,
namely by 16th January 2017. |, 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 — solicitors for the family. | 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.

11 November 2016 Caroline Beasley-Murray

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)
v

Se

§ 06 JUL 2017

4

SM/SB/68
5 July 2017

Mrs Caroline Beasley-Murray
HM Senior Coroner

County Hall

Seax House

Victoria Road South
Chelmsford

CM1 1QH

Dear Mrs Beasley-Murray

NHS

Essex Partnership University

NHS Foundation Trust

Trust Head Office
The Lodge
Lodge Approach
Wickford

Essex SS11 7XX

Tel: 01268 739677

Fax: 01268 739675

Email: sally.morris@eput.nhs.uk
Acting Chair: Janet Wood
Chief Executive: Sally Morris

As part of our Merger Governance Process, | am writing to set out the Trust's formal
response to the Regulation 28: Report to Prevent Future Deaths, dated 11 November

2016, for which North Essex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust received following the
Inquest into the Death of Melanie Lowe.

| can confirm that the previous action plan has been updated with supporting evidence
to provide assurance that actions have been taken forward. Please find enclosed a copy
of the Action Plan, which | hope addresses all of your concerns. | can also confirm that

the Trust will complete a further audit to ensure that all the actions identified have been
embedded into practice.

| would like to offer my condolences to the family of Melanie and | hope this response
provides them, and you, with assurance that the Trust regarded this situation very
seriously and has taken action to address the issues raised.

Yours sincerely

S27) iN. —

SALLY MORRIS
Chief Executive

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