Prevention of Future Deaths reports · 2017

Jamie Elliott

Regulation 28 report to prevent future deaths, reference 2017-0135, written 25 Apr 2017. A coroner writes one of these when an inquest reveals a risk that could cause further deaths unless something changes.

Date of report25 Apr 2017
Reference2017-0135
DeceasedJamie Elliott
CoronerEdwin Buckett
Coroner areaInner North London
CategoryHospital Death (Clinical Procedures and medical management) related deaths
Organisation namedEast London NHS Foundation Trust
Sourcejudiciary.uk record · original PDF
Responses published1

The report

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

Regulation 28:  Prevention of Future Deaths report 

Jamie Neil Elliott (died 18.11.2016) 

THIS REPORT IS BEING SENT TO: 

Dr Navina Evans 
Chief Executive and Director for Mental Health 
East London NHS Foundation Trust 
Trust HQ 
The Green 
1 Roger Dowley Court 
London E2 9NJ 

1 

CORONER 

I am:   Edwin Buckett 
           Assistant Coroner  
           Inner North London 
           Poplar Coroner’s Court 
           127 Poplar High Street 
           London  E14 0AE 

2 

CORONER’S LEGAL POWERS 

I make this report under the Coroners and Justice Act 2009,  
paragraph 7, Schedule 5, and  
The Coroners (Investigations) Regulations 2013, 
regulations 28 and 29. 

3 

INVESTIGATION and INQUEST 

On 23rd November 2016 I began an investigation into the death of Jamie 
Neil  Elliott  who  died  aged  52  on  the  18th  November  2016  at  his  home 
address at 

. 

The  investigation  concluded  at  the  end  of  the  inquest  into  his  death  on 
21st April 2016 which was conducted by myself. 

I  made  a  determination  at  inquest  that  the  deceased  died  as  a  result  of 
hanging on the 18th November 2016 with a conclusion of suicide. 

4 

CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE DEATH 

On  the  10th  August  2016  Jamie  Elliott  referred  himself  to  the  Trust 

1 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 presenting with thoughts of suicide. 

Between  that  date  and  the  18th  November  2016,  he  was  seen  by  the 
Home Treatment Team on numerous occasions and was assessed by a 
Consultant  Psychiatrist  from  the  Trust  on  the  20th  October  2016  with 
further contact with that clinician on the 27th October and 10th November 
2016. 

Jamie also called the Trust Crisis Team frequently in the 3 months prior 
to death.  

I  found  that  during  this  3  month  period,  Jamie  expressed  clear,  detailed 
and  escalating  suicidal  ideations  such  that  he  was  offered  voluntary  in-
patient  admission  on  the  10th,  13th  and  15th  November,  2016  but  he 
declined this. 

Consideration  was  given 
to  compulsorily  detaining  him  however, 
clinicians from the Trust were fortified by the fact that Jamie appeared to 
be receiving private therapy, 3 times a week, from a therapist elsewhere 
and therefore the fact he was taking some medication and receiving this 
treatment were factors which weighed in the balance against compulsorily 
detaining him. 

In fact, no contact was  made between clinicians from the Trust and that 
private therapist to: (i) verify that treatment (ii) ascertain how Jamie was 
responding  to  therapy  and  (iii)  identify  whether  he  was  also  expressing 
suicidal ideation to that individual.  

Had such contact been made clinicians from the Trust would have been 
in a better position to consider whether to compulsorily detain Jamie and 
the outcome in Jamie’s case may have been different. 

It was also clear that clinicians from the Home Treatment Team assumed 
that  the  contact  between  Jamie  and  the  Consultant  Psychiatrist  on  the 
10th  November,  2016  was  a  face  to  face  psychiatric  assessment  when 
this had not been the case. His condition had clearly deteriorated by this 
time  and  he  was  not  given  a  psychiatric  assessment  on  the  10th 
November or after this date.  

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. 

Evidence  was  given  by  the  Trust  that  a  Serious  Incident  Review  had 
identified areas of concern but no changes had been implemented and it 

2 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 was  not  clear  when  any  of  the  suggested  changes  would  actually  be 
made. My concerns are: 

1.  Mental  health  clinicians  from  the  Trust  should  be  required  to 
contact  external  providers  of  mental  health  services,  if  possible, 
when a patient is receiving treatment elsewhere, particularly when 
consideration is being given to compulsorily detain that individual. 
They should not simply take the patient’s account at face value. 

2.  There  should  be  a  psychiatric  assessment,  by  a  Consultant 
Psychiatrist in circumstances where there is a referral to the Home 
Treatment Team where a patient’s condition has worsened. Ideally 
this  should  be  within  48  hours  and  should  be  a  face  to  face 
psychiatric assessment. 

6 

ACTION SHOULD BE TAKEN 

In  my  opinion,  action  should  be  taken  to  prevent  future  deaths  and  I 
believe  that  you  and/or  your  organisation  have  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 27th June 2017. 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 following: 

  HHJ Mark Lucraft Q.C. the Chief Coroner of England and Wales; 

  The family of Jamie Elliott. 

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 
interest.  You  may  make 
he  believes  may 
representations  to  me,  the  coroner,  at  the  time  of  your  response,  about 
the release or the publication of your response by the Chief Coroner. 

it  useful  or  of 

find 

3 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 9 

DATE     25.4.2017                                         SIGNED BY ASSISTANT 
CORONER EDWIN BUCKETT 

4

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 East London NHS Trust (PDF)
East London

NHS Foundation Trust
Please re:
Associate Director of Legal Affairs
Trust Headquarters
9 Alie Street
London
E1 8DE
Telephone: 020 3738 7253
27" June 2017
Assistant Coroner Edwin Buckett
Inner North London
Poplar Coroner's Court
127 Poplar High Street
London
E14 OAE
Dear Sir

Inquest touching upon the death of Jamie Elliott

This is a formal response to your Regulations 28 Report dated 25" April in which you
Set out your concerns relating to the care Mr Jamie Elliott received from East London
NHS Foundation Trust.

Your concerns related to the following two points:

¢ Mental health Clinicians from the Trust Should be required to contact external
providers of mental health services, if Possible, when a patient is receiving
treatment elsewhere, Particularly when consideration is being given to
compulsorily detain that individual. They should not simply take the patient's
account at face value.

There should be a Psychiatric assessment by a Consultant Psychiatrist in
circumstances where there is a referral to the Home Treatment Team where a
patient's condition has worsened. Ideally this should be within 48 hours and
Should be a face to face psychiatric assessment.

As you will be aware these issues were highlighted in the Trust's Serious Incident
Review and [ understand that you wished to receive assurance that the
recommendations made had been implemented by the Trust.

In relation to contact with external providers ! can confirm that a memo has been
distributed to all clinical Staff in City and Hackney highlighting the issue.

po Chief Executive: Dr Navina Evans

[oo

In relation to face to face

° Referrals who have ni

Prioritise review,
° Referrals who
referral will be
emergency
this will be

| hope that the above

Additionally, this issue is due to be discussed
This forum is where learning from incidents is
representative members of every borough team for further dissemination to their
teams.

Provided by the on

If you require any further information please do not
Yours faithfully

oo

at the Learning Lessons Forum in July,
Presented and spread to

psychiatric assessments by the Home Treatment team the
Operational Policy has been updated to include the fol

following:

48 hrs of referral should be highlighted by whoever accepts the referral to one

have not been Seen by a health care Professional prior to
seen by a doctor
Medical review is required outside

routinely within a maximum of 72 hours, if
of norma! working hours then
Call psychiatry service.

ove information assures you that the Trust has taken these issues:
Seriously and that your concerns have been addressed.

hesitate to contact me.

Chief Executive: Dr Navina Evans

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