Prevention of Future Deaths reports · 2019

Brian Havard

Regulation 28 report to prevent future deaths, reference 2019-0101, written 22 Mar 2019. A coroner writes one of these when an inquest reveals a risk that could cause further deaths unless something changes.

Date of report22 Mar 2019
Reference2019-0101
DeceasedBrian Havard
CoronerYvonne Blake
Coroner areaNorfolk
CategoryHospital 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 DEATHS
|
THIS REPORT IS BEING SENT TO:
1 The Chief Executive
Norfolk & Norwich University Hospital
Colney Lane
Norwich
NR4 7UY

1 CORONER

| am Yvonne BLAKE, Area Coroner for the area of Norfolk

2 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.

3 INVESTIGATION and INQUEST

On 15/01/2018 | commenced an investigation into the death of Brian Robert HAVARD aged 52. The
investigation concluded at the end of the inquest on 12/03/2019. The conclusion of the inquest was:

1a Acute Aortic Dissection
1b

1c

Il

2 CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE DEATH

Mr Havard presented to the Emergency Department (ED) of the NNUH on the evening of 8 January 2019
by ambulance with chest pain and vomiting. He arrived at the hospital but was cared for in the
ambulance for several hours by paramedics. Eventually he was admitted just after 6am on 9 January and
seen by the junior doctor nearly an hour later. He was discharged with a diagnosis of Musculoskeletal
Pain and his partner came to fetch him, he collapsed in the car and an ambulance was called , he died en-
route back to the hospital.

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:

1. The doctor had not read the ambulance electronic records and was
not aware of a system in place to obtain these notes prior to his
seeing the patient. These notes contained information about Mr
Havard having hematemesis and two doses of morphine given to
Mr Havard by the crew. He did examine Mr Havard and had
differential diagnoses and went to speak to the locum consultant
who was just coming on shift for advice. The consultant did not ask
to see the notes from the crew or the hospital notes and was just
shown the ECG. He evinced no professional curiosity about a

patient needing three doses of morphine and being considered for
discharge. The locum consultant did not seem to be aware of any
system in place to access the ambulance electronic records. He did
not give any convincing explanation for not seeing this patient or
his apparent ignorance regarding obtaining ambulance notes. He
did not give a convincing explanation for not reviewing the patient.

2. There did not appear to be a system in place for junior doctors who
have approached a senior to have their case reviewed with the
responsibility for this being on the senior doctor.

3. Record keeping generally appeared to be poor and thus the doctors
who attended at inquest had little documentation with which to
refresh their memories and the ambulance notes do not appear to
be routinely included in these notes and or read.

| 6 ACTION SHOULD BE TAKEN
In my opinion action should be taken to prevent future deaths and | believe 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 17 May 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.

8 COPIES and PUBLICATION

| have sent a copy of my report to the Chief Coroner and to the following Interested Persons

(Wife)

KEEAST)
who may Tind it useful or of interest.

tam 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.

Norfolk-Zoroner Service
Carrow House

301 King Street
Norwich NR12TN

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