Prevention of Future Deaths reports · 2017

Barbara Sturgess

Regulation 28 report to prevent future deaths, reference 2017-0209, written 21 Sep 2017. A coroner writes one of these when an inquest reveals a risk that could cause further deaths unless something changes.

Date of report21 Sep 2017
Reference2017-0209
DeceasedBarbara Sturgess
CoronerPeter Nielo
Coroner areaDerby and Derbyshire
CategoryCare Home Health related deaths · Hospital 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:

. i “ms — Chesterfield Roya! Hospital
. eS House Nursing Home

Pons

1 | CORONER

! am Peter Nieto Assistant Coroner for the Coroner area of Derby and Derbyshire.

2 | GORONER’S LEGAL POWERS

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| 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.
https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2009/25/contents

http://www. legislation.gov. uk/uksi/2013/1629/contents/made

3. | INVESTIGATION and INQUEST

On 15 June 2017 | commenced an investigation into the death of Barbara Christine
Sturgess (dob: 15 December 1932; dod: 8 June 2017). The investigation concluded at
the end of the inquest on 20 September 2017. The conclusion of the inquest was: -

- Medical cause of death: -
1a Bronchopneumonia
1b Cervical spinal fracture

- Summary of circumstances: -
Died on 8 June 2017 at Ashgate Nursing Home due to bronchopneumonia
contributed to by a cervical spinal fracture sustained during a fall at the nursing
home on 20 May 2017,

- The conclusion of the inquest was that the death was an accident.

CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE DEATH

Barbara Christine Sturgess moved to Ashgate Nursing Home from a residential care |
home due to an increase in her needs. She suffered from a number of conditions |
including advanced dementia. She needed support and supervision in all aspects of her
daily care and due to her confusion she could be resistive to care. Although she was
able to mobilise around the nursing home unaided she was assessed as at high risk of
falls due to her profile and conditions, including her dementia. She sustained a fall on 20
May 2017 and on attendance at hospital a cervical spinal fracture was diagnosed and |
she returned to the nursing home. She died on 8 June 2017 of bronchopneumonia
which, on the evidence, resulted from the cervical spinal fracture sustained on 20 May |
2017. }

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1

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CORONER’S CONCERNS

During the course of the inquest the evidence revealed a matter giving rise to concern.
In my opinion there is a risk that future deaths could occur unless action is taken. In the
circumstances it is my statutory duty to report to you.

The MATTER OF CONCERN is as follows. —

The Chesterfield Royal Hospital did not inform the nursing home or the GP practice that
Barbara Christine Sturgess had sustained a cervical spinal fracture nor of any necessary
measures in her care and treatment. Her daughter attended a fracture clinic appointment
with her on 24 May 2017 where a Doctor told the daughter that a fracture had been
sustained and that care should be exercised in her management on account of the
fracture. It was only on 26 May 2017, as a result of enquiries by the nursing home, that
formal confirmation of the fracture was provided by the hospital. Although there was no
evidence that the failure of the hospital to properly confirm and advise on the fracture
was a factor in Barbara Christine Sturgess’s death this did have the potential to
adversely affect her wellbeing. Very importantly if there were to be further similar failings
in communication it could be that for some patients this could be a contributory factor in
death.

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.

YOUR RESPONSE

You are under a duty to respond to this report within 56 days of the date of this report,
which is by 16 November 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: -

1. BE 322200 Christine Sturgess’s daughter)

2. Ashgate House Nursing Home (the nursing home where Barbara Christine
Sturgess resided)

| have also sent it to | (GP for Barbara Christine Sturgess - The Surgery,
Wheatbridge Road, Chesterfield) who may find it useful or of interest.

lam aiso 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 September’2017

Peter Nieto Assistant Coroner

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