Prevention of Future Deaths reports · 2020

John Long

Regulation 28 report to prevent future deaths, reference 2020-0011, written 14 Jan 2020. A coroner writes one of these when an inquest reveals a risk that could cause further deaths unless something changes.

Date of report14 Jan 2020
Reference2020-0011
DeceasedJohn Long
CoronerRussell Caller
Coroner areaLondon Inner (West)
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 FUTURE DEATHS
THIS REPORT IS BEING SENT TO:

1. The Chief Executive Officer, The St.George’s University Hospitals NHS Foundation
Trust of Blackshaw Road, Tooting, London SW17 0QT

2. The Chief Executive Officer, The Nursing and Midwifery Council of 61 Aldwych,
Holborn, London, WC2B 4AE

3. The Chief Coroner of England & Wales, His Honour Judge Mark Lucraft WC, Room
C09, Royal Courts of Justice, Strand, London, WC2A 2LL.

1 CORONER

| am Russell A Caller, HM Assistant Coroner, for the Coroner Area of Inner London West

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 Wednesday 4'" December 2019 Russell Caller, Assistant Coroner, heard the inquest
of John David Long who died at St .George’s Hospital Blackshaw Tooting London on 4"
May 2019.

Medical Cause of Death

1 (a) Intracranial Haemorrhage
(b) Traumatic head injury

(c ) Ischaemic heart disease (treated with coronary Bypass Graft and
pacemaker insertion.

How, when and where and in what circumstances the deceased came by his
death:

The Deceased suffered an unwitnessed fall from his bed in Benjamin Weir Ward at St.
George’s Hospital, Blackshaw Tooting London which led to a head injury which led to his
death on 4"" May 2019

Conclusion as to the death:

Accidental Unwitnessed Fall

CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE DEATH

The Deceased suffered an unwitnessed fall from his bed in Benjamin Weir Ward at St.
George’s Hospital, Blackshaw Tooting London which led to a head injury which led to his

death on 4" May 2019

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 bed rails affixed to patients beds allow a patient to fall easily from the
patient's bed and the make and manufacture of bed rails should be reviewed to
ensure they are fit for purpose and act to ensure the patient is secure in their
bed and also prevent a patient accidentally falling from their bed.

2. A review is required into the use of 1:1 (one to one) care in hospital wards
and in particular a review into the definition of what 1:1 (one to one) care
actually means. In addition a review on how it is administered on the ward and
what rules there are for those nurses and Carers to comply with when carrying
out such care for a patient. Furthermore there needs to be very clear rules about
how Carer or nurse carrying out such care ensures they have sufficient breaks
from providing such care and how they are relieved from their duties in such
circumstances but ensuring the Patient is not left alone at any time.

3.A review is required on how training of 1: 1 (one to one) care is implemented
And administered on a hospital ward and also how such training is
communicated to nurses and Carers.

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. It is for each addressee to
respond to matters relevant to them.

1. The manufacture and design of bed rails should be reviewed and changed as and
when appropriate.

2. the Definition of 1:1 (one to one) care needs to be reviewed and all the rules relating
to this care should be reviewed and modified where necessary.

3. The Training of 1:1 (one to one) care should be reviewed and modified where
appropriate.

4. How 1:1 (one to one) care is communicated to nurses and Carers on the hospital
wards needs review and where appropriate modified.

YOUR RESPONSE

You are under a duty to respond to this report within 56 days of the date of this report. |,
the Assistant 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 :

1. The Chief Executive Officer, The St.George’s University Hospitals NHS Foundation
Trust of Blackshaw Road, Tooting, London SW17 0QT

2. The Chief Executive Officer, The Nursing and Midwifery Council of 61 Aldwych,
Holborn, London, WC2B 4AE

3. The Chief Coroner of England & Wales, His Honour Judge Mark Lucraft WC, Room
CO9, Royal Courts of Justice, Strand, London, WC2A 2LL.

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 Assistant Coroner, at the time
of your response, about the release or the publication of your response by the Chief
Coroner.

14 January 2020

Lite ae

Russell Caller

HM Assistant Coroner

Inner West London
Westminster Coroner’s Court
65, Horseferry Road

London

SW1P 2ED

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