Prevention of Future Deaths reports · 2018

Gladys Williams

Regulation 28 report to prevent future deaths, reference 2018-0292, written 10 Sep 2018. A coroner writes one of these when an inquest reveals a risk that could cause further deaths unless something changes.

Date of report10 Sep 2018
Reference2018-0292
DeceasedGladys Williams
CoronerJohn Gittins
Coroner areaNorth Wales (East and Central)
CategoryHospital Death (Clinical Procedures and medical management) related deaths
Organisation namedWelsh Ambulance Services NHS Trust
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.

John Adrian Gittins
Senior Coroner for North Wales (East and Central)

REGULATION 28 REPORT TO PREVENT FUTURE DEATHS

THIS REPORT IS BEING SENT TO: BCUHB, Ysbyty Gwynedd, Penrhosgarnedd, Bangor,
Gwynedd LL57 2PW, Welsh Ambulance Services NHS Trust, HM Stanley Site, St Asaph,
Denbighshire LL17 ORS,

CORONER

lam John Adrian Gittins, Senior Coroner for North Wales (East and Central)

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 the25" of April 2018 | commenced an investigation into the death of Gladys May Williams
(DOB 11.1.25 DOD 24.4. The investigation concluded at the end of the inquest on the 6" of

September 2018. The conclusion of the inquest was one of an accidental death the Cause of
Death being recorded as 1(a) Aspiration Pneumonia 2. Frailty with Fracture of Cervical Spine

CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE DEATH

On the 6th of March 2018 the Deceased fell at her care home and was taken to the Wrexham
Maelor Hospital where she was examined and subsequently discharged the same day. She
continued to be unwell and an ambulance was called again at 21.21 following examination by the
Out of Hours doctor. Due to her continuing deterioration a further call was made to the
ambulance service at 04.01 on the 7" of March however no ambulances were available and an
ambulance did not arrive until 07.10. Thereafter the ambulance left the scene at 07.4 ‘arriving at
the Emergency Department of the Maelor Hospital, Wrexham at 07.55.

Due to the department being busy her care was not handed over to hospital staff until 09.27
more than twelve hours after the original call from her care home which is less than fifteen
minutes’ drive from the hospital although it cannot be said that this delay contributed to her
death.

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. —

The issues of ambulance delays/admission to ED/availability of resources/patient flow and the
multifactorial problems associated with cases of this nature have been reported upon by me on
numerous occasions following previous inquests.

Despite the above reports issued to the Health Board and Ambulance Service these problems
appear to be continuing notwithstanding the various measures which | am informed have been
and are continuing to be put in place by WAST and BCUHB to mitigate such problems

Coroner's Office, County Hall, Wynnstay Road, Ruthin, LL1S 1YN
Tel 01824 708047 | Fax 01824 708048

and | continue to believe and be extremely concerned that patients’ lives are being placed at risk
as a result. Whilst it no longer appears to be the case that problems of this nature can be
attributed to “winter pressures" it is nonetheless of grave concern that we are approaching
another winter period without any clear indication that progress is being made to improve upon
the previous position.

ACTION SHOULD BE TAKEN

In my opinion action should be taken to prevent future deaths and | believe you 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, namely by
5' of November 2018 |, 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 Family of the Deceased and to the Chief Coroner.

| 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.

Dated 10 September 2018

Signature S eS ATA

Senior Coroner for North Wales (East and Central)

Coroner's Office, County Hall, Wynnstay Road, Ruthin, LL15 1YN
Tel 01824 708047 | Fax 01824 708048

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