Prevention of Future Deaths reports · 2018

Beryl Walsh

Regulation 28 report to prevent future deaths, reference 2018-0359, written 19 Nov 2018. A coroner writes one of these when an inquest reveals a risk that could cause further deaths unless something changes.

Date of report19 Nov 2018
Reference2018-0359
DeceasedBeryl Walsh
CoronerJ Robinson
Coroner areaManchester North
CategoryCare Home Health 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 (1)

REGULATION 28 REPORT TO PREVENT FUTURE DEATHS
THIS REPORT IS BEING SENT TO:
1. CEO of Beechwood Lodge Care Home, Meadow View, Norden, Rochdale

CORONER

lam Ms J Robertson, Assistant Coroner for the Coroner area of Manchester North

CORONER’S LEGAL POWERS

| make this report under paragraph 7, Schedule 5, of the Coroner’s and Justice Act 2009 and
Regulations 28 and 29 of the Coroners (Investigations) Regulations 2013.

INVESTIGATION and INQUEST

On the 11 June 2018 | commenced an investigation into the death of Beryl Ann Walsh. |
concluded this inquest on 8 November 2018 and found that there were multiple missed
opportunities by Beechwood Lodge Care Home to refer the deceased to the falls team, undertake
appropriate risk assessments and to provide her with falls prevention equipment.

CIRCUMSTANCES OF DEATH

The deceased sustained catastrophic head injuries caused by an unwitnessed fall from her bed at
Beechwood Lodge Care Home on 3 June 2018. This final fall led directly to the deceased’s 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:-

1. That there were multiple missed opportunities to identify the deceased as a person of high
tisk of falls and to escalate her care by way of a referral to the falls team. Furthermore,
there were multiple missed opportunities to provide the deceased with falls prevention
equipment and to undertake falls risk assessments and care plans. | remain concerned that
appropriate action to minimise the risk of deaths occurring in similar circumstances has not
been taken by Beechwood Lodge Care Home.

During the last 12 months of her life she had fallen on multiple occasions. However, she
had not been referred to the falls prevention team and had not been provided with any falls
prevention equipment. No care plans and falls risk assessments had been undertaken

‘=

ACTION SHOULD BE TAKEN

In my opinion action should be taken to prevent future deaths and I believe each of you respectively
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 14" January
2019. |, 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 namely:-

Family of the deceased.
cac
Adult Safeguarding at The Local Authority

lam 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 from. 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: UO Signed: (4 -/( - 1§ j

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 Beechwood Lodge (PDF)
BEECHWOOD LODGE

Response to regulation 28 issued by Mrs Robinson, Coroner resulting from concerns raised at the
inquest of Beryl Walsh (deceased) Completed b'

CONCERN

Multiple missed opportunities to identify the person
was at high risk of falls and to escalate her care by
way of a referral to falls prevention, multiple
opportunities to provide the correct falls prevention
equipment.

Concern that appropriate action to minimise the

‘risks of deaths occurring in similar circumstances has

been taken by beechwood.

ACTION TAKEN

The falls that BW sustained was over a 3
and half year period, the equipment what
would be usually required was more of a
risk to BW due to extremely poor eyesight
so equipment for falls prevention was not
appropriate due to trip hazards, however
BW had good capacity so was able to use
the call bell she had in place when she
required assistance.

1.

We have put more in robust risk
assessments for residents who
have had falls.

We are documenting all
conversations with relatives and
professionals

We have now put all new risk
assessments in all care plans about
safety equipment whether they
use it or the reasons why they do
and the reasons why they don't. |
also have put in place a falls
matrix, so | can monitor falls and
do referrals to falls team when
required.

We will ensure all falls risk
concerns are referred to
appropriate professionals i.e.
doctors and falls teams

BW’s falls dates are as follows,
1* fall 2015

2™ fall 2016

3° fall 2017

4 5" 6" fall in 2018

BY WHOM /WHEN

All actions have
been completed
with immediate
effect by Home

Manager.

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