Prevention of Future Deaths reports · 2019

Xander Curran-Pass

Regulation 28 report to prevent future deaths, reference 2019-0249, written 24 Jul 2019. A coroner writes one of these when an inquest reveals a risk that could cause further deaths unless something changes.

Date of report24 Jul 2019
Reference2019-0249
DeceasedXander Curran-Pass
CoronerAlison Mutch
Coroner areaManchester South
CategoryHospital Death (Clinical Procedures and medical management) related deaths · Child Death (from 2015)
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.

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REGULATION 28: REPORT TO PREVENT FUTURE DEATHS

REGULATION 28 REPORT TO PREVENT FUTURE DEATHS
THIS REPORT IS BEING SENT TO: The Chief Executive of Stepping Hill Hospital,

the Secretary of State for Health, the Healthcare Safety Investigation Branch
(HSIB) and the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE)

CORONER

| am Alison Mutch , Senior Coroner, for the Coroner Area of Greater
Manchester South

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 17 September 2018 | commenced an investigation into the death of
Xander Curran-Pass. The investigation concluded on the 21° June 2019
and the conclusion was one of Narrative: Died as consequence of the
complications of abnormalities of the placenta where his
deteriorating condition was not recognised until his condition was
irreversible.

The medical cause of death was 1a) Perinatal asphyxia associated
with intrauterine growth and abnormalities of the placenta (placenta
immaturity, fetal thrombotic vasculopathy, high grade villitis)

4 | CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE DEATH

scans at 37+ 4 weeks + 39+5 weeks of pregnancy. On the 13!
September 2018 his Mother identified a significant reduction in fetal
movement. She attended the Triage Unit at Stepping Hill Hospital. As a
result, his Mother was booked in for an Induction of labour on 14%
September 2018. On the 14'" September 2018 the delivery suite was at
capacity and could not accommodate his Mother. She was not allocated a
time to attend until she telephoned at 18:00pm and was told to make her
way in. She had reported continuing reduced fetal movement on each
occasion she telephoned the unit. She arrived at the unit at 7pm on
14/09/18. A midwife did not see her until approximately 23:50pm. There
was no recorded documentation of a discussion of foetal movement at
that time. Induction of labour began. A CTG was commenced after

Xander Curran-Pass was identified as being on the 10" Centile on growth |

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reviewed. it was discontinued early and there was no evidence as to who
discontinued it. The CTG did not show the expected accelerations. A
further CTG did not take place until 07:09am on 15" September 2018.
The CTG had abnormal indicators from the early stages of monitoring.
The midwife left the room whilst the CTG was underway returning when
the call bell was pressed at about 07:20am. The CTG had abnormal
features and loss of contact. The midwife called for assistance 07:38. The
Registrar attended at 07:50am. Xander’s mother had not been reviewed |
by an Obstetrician prior to that point. He reviewed her and at 08:03am
| she was consented for a category 1 Caesarean Section. Xander was
| delivered at 08:22am. His condition was very poor. Resuscitation was
unsuccessful and he died. Post-mortem examination showed that his |
growth was on 0.4th centile and that the placenta had Chorionic Villitis
and Thrombotic Vasculopathy. This resulted in poor placental function at
the end of pregnancy.

induction of labour began. There was no evidence that it was ever |

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 inquest was told that there was a growing challenge to maternity
units from the rise in Induction of Labour and the pressure to ensure that
timescales set out in NICE guidance were met. In this case and since the
death of Xander the trust have taken steps to reconfigure their IOL
process to reduce risk but no provision to share such learning nationally
existed;

2.In the inquest reference was made to the guidance from the Royal
College on reduced fetal movement. The guidance references individual
episodes of RFM but does not give clear guidance on the approach to be |
taken where in effect there is one prolonged episode rather than multiple
episodes of RFM;

3. Xander's mother was not told it would be advisable to return to triage
for further monitoring in light of the ongoing reduced foetal movement.
The inquest was told that this would have been advisable given the
prolonged nature and the fact that it was unclear when she would be
offered a slot for 1OL;

4. A review by an obstetrician did not take place on admission despite
RFM and delayed IOL. The trust guidance did not require such a review.
Such a review may have identified growing concern about condition of
Xander;

§.Xander had his fundal height measured by tape measure by midwives
in the community. There was a significant discrepancy between the
recorded measurements of two different midwives, which altered where |
he was on the centile chart significantly; |

6. Xander's mother was given pethidine. There was no guidance on
issues to be considered in terms of advisability of pethidine where there
was already significant reduced fetal movement;

7. The quality of documentation on admission was poor;

8. The triage and IOL diary were poorly kept and used in different ways
by staff. The trust has since changed the way records are kept to ensure
| consistency and improved its audit process. It is unclear if nationally there
is clarity on the way in which IOLs are diarised, prioritised and managed;
9. The CTG at 07.09 was concerning from the early stages but the
evidence suggested that it was not closely observed;

10. The second CTG after OL commenced was not reviewed.

6 | 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 18" September 2019. I, 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 Xander’s mother, who may find it useful or of
interest.

1! 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.

Alison Mutch
HM Senior Coroner
24.07.2019

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