Prevention of Future Deaths reports · 2021

Stephen Barton

Regulation 28 report to prevent future deaths, reference 2021-0326, written 1 Oct 2021. A coroner writes one of these when an inquest reveals a risk that could cause further deaths unless something changes.

Date of report1 Oct 2021
Reference2021-0326
DeceasedStephen Barton
CoronerAndrew Haigh
Coroner areaStaffordshire (South)
CategoryHospital Death (Clinical Procedures and medical management) related deaths
Organisation namedUniversity Hospitals of Derby and Burton NHS Foundation Trust
Sourcejudiciary.uk record · original PDF
Responses publishednone published

The report

Text extracted from the PDF text layer. Reproduced verbatim, including the scan's own layout.

Her Majesty's Coroner 
Staffordshire (South) Coroner's 
Jurisdiction 

Date:  1.10.2021 

REGULATION  28  REPORT TO PREVENT FUTURE DEATHS 

THIS REPORT IS  BEING SENT TO: 
Rt Hon Sajid Javid MP 
Secretary of State for Health and Social Care 
39 Victoria Street 
London SW1 H 0EU 

CORONER 
I am Mr Andrew A Haigh HM Senior Coroner for 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. 
http://www.legislation.qov.uk/ukpga/2009/25/schedule/5/paragraph/7 
http://www.legislation.gov. uk/uksi/2013/1629/part/7 /made 

INVESTIGATION and  INQUEST 
On  6 August 2019  I commenced an investigation  into the death of Stephen Thomas 
BARTON . The investigation concluded  at the end of the inquest. The conclusion of the 
inquest was 'Natural causes following a lack of proper primary health care  intervention and 
insufficient access to secondary health care' with the cause of Stephen's death being 1a 
Sepsis 1b Chronic otitis media with cholesteatoma in the right ear'. 

CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE DEATH: 
Stephen was a serving prisoner found  dead in his cell at HMP Dovegate on  27 July 
2019. Death resulting from an ear condition. 

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: 

Stephen missed numerous out-patient appointments.  I heard expert evidence from a 

1 Staffordshire  Place,  Stafford,  ST16 2LP 
Telephone:  01785 276126 or 276127 Email:  sscor@staffordshire.gov.uk 

 
 hospital consultant indicating that in  the great majority of cases there is no way of tracking 
out-patient appointments in the NHS. This is however done in  cancer cases.  The consultant 
felt it should  not be too difficult to develop a system of tracking  out-patient appointments in 
non-cancer cases.  If realistically this could  be introduced  it might well save a lot of 
administrative time and  indeed prevent unnecessary deaths. 

ACTION SHOULD BE TAKEN 
In my opinion action should be taken to prevent future deaths and  I 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 
26.11.2021  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. 

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

Solicitors for:  Stephen's family;  Serco;  Practice Plus;  Derby and  Burton NHS Trust; 
Prisons and  Probation Ombudsman 

I have also sent it to other interested persons  who may find  it useful or of interest: 

Independent Monitoring Board at HMP Dovegate 

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  : 1 October 2021 

Signature 

Andrew Haigh  Senior Coroner for Staffordshire South 

1 Staffordshire Place,  Stafford,  ST16 2LP 
Telephone:  01785 276126 or 276127  Email:  sscor@staffordshire.gov.uk

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