Prevention of Future Deaths reports · 2019

Constance Robinson

Regulation 28 report to prevent future deaths, reference 2019-0436, written 17 Dec 2019. A coroner writes one of these when an inquest reveals a risk that could cause further deaths unless something changes.

Date of report17 Dec 2019
Reference2019-0436
DeceasedConstance Robinson
CoronerAlan Walsh
Coroner areaManchester (West)
CategoryHospital Death (Clinical Procedures and medical management) related deaths
Organisation namedPennine Acute Hospitals 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.

REGULATION 28: REPORT TO PREVENT FUTURE DEATHS (1)

NOTE: This form is to be used after an inquest.

REGULATION 28 REPORT TO PREVENT FUTURE DEATHS

THIS REPORT IS BEING SENT TO:

armen Manager, Greater Manchester Stroke Operational Delivery
letwork, Summerfield House, Salford Royal Hospital, 544 Eccles New Road,
Salford, M5 SAP.

CORONER

I am Alan Peter Walsh, HM Senior Coroner (Acting) for the Coroner Area of
Manchester West.

CORONER’S LEGAL POWERS
I 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 the 7th May 2019 I commenced an Investigation into the death of
Constance Josephine Robinson (otherwise known as Josephine Robinson), 80
years, born 22nd April 1939. The Investigation concluded at the end of the
Inquest on the 5th December 2019.

The Medical Cause of Death was: -

Ia Decompensated Heart Failure
Ib Atrial Fibrillation (Treated with Warfarin Therapy) and Intracerebral
Haemorrhage.

The Conclusion of the Investigation was that Constance Josephine Robinson
died as a consequence of naturally occurring disease exacerbated by a
recognised complication of anticoagulation therapy.

4 | CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE DEATH
1. Constance Josephine Robinson (hereinafter referred to as the “deceased”)

died at Stepping Hill Hospital, Poplar Grove, Stockport, on the 27th of April
2019.

2. On the 15th of April 2019 the deceased, who was being treated with
warfarin as anticoagulation therapy for atrial fibrillation, vomited and
appeared agitated at her home address at Sunnybank Farm, Knutsford
Road, Chelford, Cheshire. She was taken to Salford Royal Hospital, Salford,

which is a Hyper Acute Stroke unit, by ambulance, where scans revealed
an Intracerebral Haemorrhage. She was treated with conservative
management and surgical intervention was not appropriate.

3. On the 19th of April 2019 the deceased was transferred to Stepping Hill
Hospital, Stockport, which was her local Hyper Acute Stroke unit, in
accordance with the Standard Operating Procedure of the Hyper Acute
Stroke Pathfinder V2.0.

At the Stepping Hill Hospital, she developed aspiration pneumonia, which
was treated with antibiotics, but on the 27th of April 2019 she was
diagnosed as suffering with Decompensated Congestive Cardiac Failure
and, despite appropriate medication, she deteriorated and died.

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 i
is taken. In the circumstances it is my statutory duty to report to you. i

The MATTERS OF CONCERN are as follows:
1. During the Inquest evidence was heard that: -

i. There are 3 Hyper Acute Stroke units in Greater Manchester, namely at
Fairfield Hospital in Bury, Salford Royal Hospital in Salford and Stepping
Hill Hospital in Stockport. The units serve the whole of the Greater
Manchester area and surrounding areas.

ii. The unit at Salford Royal Hospital is open 24 hours a day 7 days a week,
whereas the units at Fairfield Hospital and Stepping Hill Hospital are
open from 07.00 hours to 23.00 hours each day. Accordingly, if a patient
require admission to a unit between 23.00 hours and 07.00 hours, the
patient must be taken to Salford Royal Hospital.

In the case of the deceased, who lived in Chelford, Cheshire, she
required admission to a Hyper Acute Stroke unit at 06.28 hours on the
15th April 2019 and the nearest unit to her home address was at
Stepping Hill Hospital. However, in view of the time of day and the fact
that Stepping Hill would not be open until 07.00 hours, she had to be
taken to the Salford Royal Hospital Hyper Acute Stroke unit. The journey
to Salford Royal Hospital, rather than Stepping Hill Hospital, involved an
additional journey of approximately 18 miles, by ambulance, with an
additional travel time of approximately 30 minutes. If she had been
admitted to Stepping Hill Hospital Hyper Acute Stroke unit on the 15th
April 2019, she could have remained there for continuing treatment,
rather than a subsequent transfer from Salford Royal Hospital to
Stepping Hill Hospital on the 19th April 2019.

i. Furthermore, if a patient is in a unit at Fairfield Hospital or Stepping
Hill Hospital and requires an urgent medical assessment or medical

tN

treatment between 23.00 hours and 07.00 hours, the patient must be
referred to the unit at Salford Royal Hospital for advice before
considering a transfer to Salford Royal Hospital between those hours.

iv. Evidence given by a Consultant in Stroke Medicine at the Inquest
confirmed that patients would benefit from admission to the units at
Fairfield Hospital and Stepping Hill Hospital 24 hours a day 7 days a
week to enable quicker admission into a unit from all parts of Greater
Manchester and to have Doctors available in each unit 24 hours a day,
particularly overnight between 23.00 hours and 07.00 hours. The
availability of Doctors in the units between 23.00 hours and 07.00 hours
would allow immediate access to medical advice and emergency :
treatment and care, rather than a delay, arising from the need to refer ©
the patient to Salford Royal Hospital.

v. The Consultant also gave evidence at the Inquest that requests had
been made to the Greater Manchester Stroke Operational Delivery
Network for the units at Fairfield Hospital and Stepping Hill Hospital to
become 24-hour units but the requests have not been granted.

2. Irequest that the Greater Manchester Stroke Operational Delivery
Network review the provision of Hyper Acute Stroke units in Greater |
Manchester, with particular reference to admission to the units at Fairfield
Hospital and Stepping Hill Hospital 24 hours a day 7 days a week to enable
quicker admission into a unit from all parts of Greater Manchester and the
surrounding areas and to have Doctors in the units 24 hours a day,
particularly overnight between 23.00 hours and 07.00 hours. The
availability of Doctors in the units between 23.00 hours and 07.00 hours
would allow immediate access to medical advice and emergency treatment
and care, rather than a delay arising from the need to refer to Salford
Royal Hospital for advice or to arrange a transfer to Salford Royal
Hospital between those hours.

3. The reduction in the time for admission to a unit and the availability of
Doctors in each unit between 23.00 hours and 07.00 hours would reduce
the risks in relation to Stoke patients and prevent future deaths.

ACTION SHOULD BE TAKEN

In my opinion urgent action should be taken to prevent future deaths and I
believe that 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 the 11th February 2020. 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.

8 | COPIES and PUBLICATION

I have sent a copy of my report to the Chief Coroner and to the following
Interested Persons: -

1. = Mrs Robinson’s Husband, (nn

2. Matt Hancock, Secretary of State, Department of Health, 39 Victoria
Street, London, SW1H OEU

. Raj Jain, Chief Executive, Northern Care Alliance, The Pennine Acute
Hospitals NHS Trust, Trust Headquarters, North Manchester General
Hospital, Delauneys Road, Crumpsall, M8 SRB

4. | Clinical Director, Hyper Acute Stroke Unit, Salford Royal
Hospital, Eccles Old Road, Salford, M6 8HD

5. EE Clinical Director, Hyper Acute Stroke Unit, Fairfield
Hospital, Rochdale Old Road, Bury, BL9 7TD

6. Louise Robson, Chief Executive, Stepping Hill Hospital, Poplar Grove,
Hazel Grove, Stockport, SK2 7JE

7. WE Clinical Lead, Hyper Acute Stroke Unit, Stepping Hill
Hospital, Poplar Grove, Hazel Grove, Stockport, SK2 7JE

I 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 Signed

17th December 2019 Qua. es

Alan P Walsh, HM Senior Coroner

(Acting)

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