Prevention of Future Deaths reports · 2018

Bradley Morgan

Regulation 28 report to prevent future deaths, reference 2018-0412, written 4 Oct 2018. A coroner writes one of these when an inquest reveals a risk that could cause further deaths unless something changes.

Date of report4 Oct 2018
Reference2018-0412
DeceasedBradley Morgan
CoronerEmma Brown
Coroner areaBirmingham and Solihull
CategoryMental Health related deaths · Suicide (from 2015)
Organisation namedBirmingham and Solihull Mental Health NHS Foundation 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.

REGULATION 28 REPORT TO PREVENT FUTURE DEATHS

THIS REPORT IS BEING SENT TO: NHS England and Birmingham and Solihull Clinical Commissioning
Group

CORONER

tam Emma Brown Area Coroner for Birmingham and Solihull

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 18/05/2018 | commenced an investigation into the death of Bradley Jordache Morgan. The
investigation concluded at the end of an inquest on 13th September 2018. The conclusion of the inquest
was Suicide.

CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE DEATH

The Deceased was declared dead at 10:13 on the 13th May 2018 as a result of falling from the 8th floor
balcony of his home. The Deceased had a history of psychotic illness, depression and a grief reaction and
was under the care of the community mental health team who last saw him in December 2017 at which
time he was evidently at high risk of suicide and self harm. He was prescribed antidepressants and
antipsychotics but urgent follow up was not arranged. He discontinued his medication in January 2018
without seeking medical advice until he was persuaded by his GP on the 6th March to seek a further
appointment with the mental health team. An appointment with the community mental health team had
coincidently been arranged for the 14th March after a waiting list audit but it is not known if he was
aware as the address used for the appointment letter had not been confirmed to be his current address
despite clinicians within the team knowing his housing situation was in flux at the time of his last
appointment in December 2017. Mr. Morgan did not attend the appointment and no attempt was made
to contact him contrary to Trust policy. It is not known what difference appropriate follow-up from
mental health would have made. Mr. Morgan’s family were aware that he was struggling and had tried to
keep him safe such as locking the door to the balcony but he had removed safety chains from a nearby
window to access the balcony on the day of his death.

Following a post mortem the medical cause of death was determined to be:
da MULTIPLE BLUNT INJURIES

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. Investigation into Mr. Morgan’s mental health care provided by Forward Thinking Birmingham
identified gross failings following an appointment on the 15" December 2017 where despite an
obvious need for follow up there was a breakdown in communication between teams and
individuals that meant he was not reviewed again before his death in May.

2. Adetailed root cause analysis investigation had been undertaken by Birmingham Women’s and
Children’s NHS Foundation Trust (who operate Forward Thinking Birmingham) resulting in a
comprehensive action plan.

3. Despite the comprehensive action plan evidence was given by the Medical Director of the
Birmingham Women’s and Children’s NHS Foundation Trust that she was concerned that even
with the processes and training identified in the action plan similar circumstances could arise
again due to the pressures placed on staff who carry caseloads well in excess of the national
average as a result of demand on the service.

4. The evidence given was that chronic underfunding of mental health services is creating a risk to

life.

5. The strain on the systems of Mental Health Services provided by both Forward Thinking
Birmingham and Birmingham and Solihull Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust has become
apparent to the Birmingham and Solihull Coroners in recent months. Consequently this report to
prevent future death is being made in conjunction with reports to prevent future deaths arising
from 6 other investigations into deaths between May and August 2018 that demonstrate a risk
that future deaths will occur as a result of under-funding.

6. In addition to this report letters are enclosed from the Medical Directors of both Trusts setting
out their concerns.

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 29"
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 Chief Coroner and to the following Interested Persons the family of
Mr. Bradley Morgan and Birmingham Women’s and Children’s NHS Foundation Trust. | have also sent a
copy of this report to the Care Quality Commission and Birmingham and Solihull Mental Health NHS
Foundation Trust.

(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.

04/10/2018

Signature Aen

Emma Brown Area Coroner Birmingham and Solihull

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