Prevention of Future Deaths reports · 2021

Susan Adams

Regulation 28 report to prevent future deaths, reference 2021-0116, written 21 Apr 2021. A coroner writes one of these when an inquest reveals a risk that could cause further deaths unless something changes.

Date of report21 Apr 2021
Reference2021-0116
DeceasedSusan Adams
CoronerAndrew Haigh
Coroner areaStaffordshire (South)
CategoryAlcohol, drug and medication related deaths · Mental Health related deaths · Hospital Death (Clinical Procedures and medical management) related deaths
Sourcejudiciary.uk record · original PDF
Responses published1

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

=

bf}
CORONER J

THIS REPORT IS BEING SENT TO:

1. PE victana Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, Chief
Xecutive, Trust Headquarters, St George’s Hospital, Corporation
Street, Stafford, ST16 3SR

lam Mr Andrew Haigh Senior Coroner for the Coroner area of Staffordshire South

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 30" of December 2020 | commenced an investigation into the death of Susan
Janet ADAMS. The investigation concluded at the end of the inquest on 20th April
2021. The conclusion of the inquest was ‘alcohol related’ with the cause of death
being Combined toxicity of ethanol, pregabalin and fentany! with hepatic cirrhosis
and steatosis. :

CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE DEATH

In 1989 while working as a Police Officer Susan Adams was severely assaulted and
she never fully recovered from this. She suffered pain and developed a problem
with her mental health and excess alcohol consumption. On 4th November 2020

5 | CORONER'S CONCERNS

During the course of the inquest the evidence revealed a matter 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 MATTER OF CONCERN is as follows: Mrs Adams and her family lived in

couid be relevant for others who live close to county boundaries. | wonder if
anything can be done to facilitate arrangements for secondary psychiatric care in
these circumstances.

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.

7TYOUR RESPONSE

You are under a duty to respond to this report within 56 days of the date of this
report, namely by 10" June 2021. 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
| have sent a copy of my report to the Chief Coroner and to the following Interested
Persons EE and to rs: Pear Tree Surgery. -

! 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.

9 | 21% April 2021

Andrew A Haigh ewer. A bene I. Cece eee eee sae eee eeeaeeasa tea eestnaetens

HM Senior Coroner Staffordshire (South)
Coroner’s Office

No 1 Staffordshire Place

Stafford

$T16 2LP

Tel No: 01785 276127

CC
Lt

Responses

1 response published against this report on judiciary.uk. A response is a body's written reply to the coroner's concerns; publication is at the discretion of the Chief Coroner's office, so an absent response does not mean nobody replied.

Response from St Georges Hospital (PDF)
F.!7:bj 

Midlands Partnership 
NHS  Foundation Trust 
A  Keele University Teaching  Trust 

Chief Executive 
Trust Headquarters 
St George's Hospital 
Corporation Street 
Stafford 
ST16 3SR 

Mr A Haigh 
HM Senior Coroner for Staffordshire (South) 
Coroner's Office 
No  1 Staffordshire Place 
Stafford 
ST16 2LP 

1st June 2021 

Dear Mr Haigh, 

RE:  Susan Janet ADAMS 

Regulation  28  Report to  Prevent Future Deaths 

Thank you for your letter dated 21 st April  March 2021,  reporting  a matter to us,  in  accordance 
with  Regulations 28 and 29 of the Coroners (Investigations) Regulations 2013. 

May I take this  opportunity to reassure you that following  Mrs Adams death,  we undertook a 
thorough investigation into the care delivered  by the  Midlands Partnership Foundation Trust. 

MATTER OF CONCERN: Mrs Adams and her family lived in Dosthi/1,  Tamworth,  Staffordshire. 
I was  told that this was approximately 50 feet from  the border with  Warwickshire  (and not far 
from  West Midlands  as  well)  and that her GP Practice  was  in  Kingsbury Warwickshire.  She 
needed regular psychiatric  assistances  from  secondary mental  health  services  and  I  was 
advised  there  were  significant  commissioning  difficulties  with  this  because  of the  home 
address and GP Practice being in  different counties.  Mrs Adams could access the crisis team 
in  Staffordshire but long term treatment was supposedly to be provided in  Warwickshire.  This 
may have impacted on the care that Mrs Adams received and could be relevant for others who 

 
 
 r~t:bj 

Midlands Partnership 
NHS  Foundation Trust 
A  Keele  University Teaching  Trust 

live  close to  county boundaries.  I wonder if anything can be done  to  facilitate  arrangements 
for secondary psychiatric care in  these circumstances. 

Following discussions within the mental health seNices in the Staffordshire and Stoke on Trent 
Care  Group  and  with  corporate  seNices,  I  am  now  in  a  position  to  respond  to  the  specific 
concern  raised during the course of the inquest. 

In  2020,  the period covered in  the serious incident investigation report,  Mrs Adams had 
contact with  a number of mental health providers during  periods of crisis,  according to the 
geography you  describe in  the matter of concern.  Mrs Adams lived  in  Dosthill,  Tamworth, 
and  it would  not be uncommon for individuals in  Tamworth to touch  on  services delivered by 
the three NHS providers described here: 

•  Midlands Partnership Foundation Trust (MPFT): 

Mrs Adams' husband contacted the Access pathway in  MPFT - pathway staff would 
offer advice,  and forward  any calls to the MPFT crisis  resolution team when  Mrs 
Adams was in  crisis;  these assessments would  always be offered when  required. 
They would  also offer details for Coventry and Warwickshire services as  Mrs Adams' 
commissioned  provider,  should she require future interventions. 

•  Birmingham and Solihull  Mental  Health Foundation trust (BSMHFT): 

Mrs Adams frequently attended  Good  Hope Hospital where she was seen by the 
mental health  liaison team,  a seNice delivered by  BSMHFT.  The BSMHFT liaison 
team communicated with the Access team at MPFT and  identified no  mental  health 
needs that necessitated care from  secondary seNices. 

•  Coventry and Warwickshire Partnership NHS Trust (CWPT): 

As Mrs Adams' GP  commissioned services from  CWPT,  advice would be for their 
services to  be accessed where needed.  However, when  she was in  a period  of crisis 
the assessment would  be undertaken by the team who were geographically closer to 
where she was.  For example,  on  19th  July 2020 CWPT crisis team  communicated 
with  MPFT,  MPFT provided the response to  Mrs Adams with  no delay. 

Throughout this period  Mrs Adams' difficulties were deemed to be related to  alcohol  misuse 
with  no  acute mental health problems that would  require secondary mental health services. 
In  earlier years when  Mrs Adams did require a secondary mental health services (1999 -
2005,  2014-2015, 2018, 2019) this was offered by MPFT (or the  predecessor organisation 
South Staffordshire and Shropshire Foundation Trust). 

Throughout all  of Mrs Adams' episodes of care,  including that in  2020,  MPFT has worked 
well with  partners to  ensure people living  on  the  county border are not disadvantaged in 
terms of seNices offered and  in  delivering patient-centred collaborative working  between 
organisations. 

However,  given your concerns, we believe the matter is  one for commissioners to  consider 
and  have therefore forwarded this case to them for their consideration and are  happy to 
support the  outcome of those conversations,  as  appropriate. 

 r~L:kj 
Midlands Partnership 
NHS  Foundation Trust 
A  Keele  University Teaching  Trust 

I  hope  this  response  helps  to  address  your  concerns.  However,  if  you  require  any  further 
information  please do not hesitate to contact me. 

Yours sincerely 

Chief Executive

Related reports

Other reports by Andrew Haigh

See all →

More reports categorised “Alcohol, drug and medication related deaths”

See all →

Track Alcohol, drug and medication related deaths

See every Prevention of Future Deaths report matching Alcohol, drug and medication related deaths, and how often a new one appears.

What would an alert for this have sent me? Search the full text

Free to try — the preview shows the real matches and how many arrived in the last 12 months. Your first email alert is free.

These reports are published by the Chief Coroner's office at judiciary.uk and are © Crown copyright. The text here is reproduced from the published PDF so it can be searched. If something on this page is wrong, or you are a person named in it and want it reviewed, email drcjar@gmail.com and we will act promptly.