Prevention of Future Deaths reports · 2021

David Walker

Regulation 28 report to prevent future deaths, reference 2021-0357, written 21 Oct 2021. A coroner writes one of these when an inquest reveals a risk that could cause further deaths unless something changes.

Date of report21 Oct 2021
Reference2021-0357
DeceasedDavid Walker
CoronerNadia Persaud
Coroner areaEast London
CategoryMental Health related deaths · Hospital Death (Clinical Procedures and medical management) related deaths · Suicide (from 2015)
Sourcejudiciary.uk record · original PDF
Responses published1

The report

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

MISS N PERSAUD 
HER MAJESTY’S CORONER 

EAST LONDON 

Walthamstow Coroner's Court, Queens Road Walthamstow, E17 8QP 

REGULATION 28:  REPORT TO PREVENT FUTURE DEATHS 

REGULATION 28 REPORT TO PREVENT FUTURE DEATHS 

THIS REPORT IS BEING SENT TO: 

1. 

, CEO, North East London Foundation Trust, West 

Wing, CEME Centre, Marsh Way, Rainham RM13 8GQ 

1 

CORONER 

I am Nadia Persaud area coroner for the coroner area of East London 

2 

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.gov.uk/ukpga/2009/25/schedule/5/paragraph/7 
http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2013/1629/part/7/made 

3 

INVESTIGATION and INQUEST 

On the 23rd  December 2020 I commenced an investigation into the death of David 
Ayontunde Walker aged 27 years. The investigation concluded at the end of the inquest 
on 20th October 2021. The conclusion of the inquest was a narrative conclusion: 

Mr Walker took his own life on the 27th November 2020.  This was, in part, because risk 
information was not correctly shared between two treating mental health trusts; the risk 
of David taking his own life was not fully assessed and necessary precautions were not 
taken on his discharge from hospital on 23rd November 2020. 

4 

CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE DEATH 

David Walker suffered from mental and behavioural disorder due to drug use. His mental 

1 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 health deteriorated from January 2020. In July 2020, David attended London Bridge with 
the intention of 
 and did not take any 
action at that time. Two days later he attended 

. He was too scared 

emergency services and David was admitted to the Newham Centre for Mental Health 
(under East London Foundation Trust). David remained an in-patient until 11 August 
2020. Very shortly after his discharge from hospital, David attended a 

. A member of the public called the 

. He was taken back to the 

Newham Centre for Mental Health where he was admitted for a further short period. 
During July and August 2020, David was also under the care of the community 
recovery team of North East London Foundation Trust. He had a care co-ordinator 
allocated to him by North East London Foundation Trust. This information about the care 
co-ordinator was available to East London Foundation Trust, but there was no contact 
with the North East London Foundation Trust care co-ordinator. The North East London 
Foundation Trust care co-ordinator did not elicit the risk information from David and did 
not make enquiries of East London Foundation Trust. On the 9 November 2020, David 
travelled to 
. He 
was admitted to a local hospital under section 2 of the Mental Health Act, and was 
transferred under section to Goodmayes Hospital (North East London Foundation Trust). 
David's mental health improved during the course of the admission. The in-patient team 
did not seek collateral information from East London Foundation Trust and were 
unaware of the incidents in July and August 2020. The discharge risk assessment was 
therefore, incomplete. Had the Consultant been aware of the prior incidents, she would 
have considered a longer inpatient admission; considered granting leave under the 
supervision of the home treatment team or discharge under the 
care of the home treatment team. Instead, David was discharged to the community 
recovery team. There was one telephone discussion with David on the 25 November 
2020, by the team at Goodmayes Hospital. On the 27 November 2020, David's mental 
health appeared to deteriorate after a return to work interview. David was found 

pronounced extinct on scene. Police attended and deemed the circumstances as non-
suspicious. 

during the evening of 27 November 2020. His life was 

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 could 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.  Between end of May 2020 to November 2020, Mr Walker was allocated four 

different care co-ordinators.  There was evidence that only one of these care co-
ordinators established a therapeutic relationship with Mr Walker.  Many of the 
care co-ordinators were locum staff. 

2.  On admission to hospital on the 10th November 2020 no steps were taken to 

seek collateral information from other Trusts involved in the care of Mr Walker.  
Mr Walker had been under the care of East London Foundation Trust in July 
and August 2020 and this Trust held a great deal of vital risk information that 
should have been available to the North East London Foundation Trust team.  
There was no evidence that the admission check list included the requirement 
for collateral healthcare information to be sought. 

6 

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. 

2 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 7 

YOUR RESPONSE 

You are under a duty to respond to this report within 56 days of the date of this report, 
namely by 15th December 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 

I have sent a copy of my report to the Chief Coroner and to the following Interested 
Persons; the family of Mr Walker, the CQC and the local Director for Public Health. 

I am also under a duty to send a copy of your response to the Chief Coroner and all 
interested persons who in my opinion should receive it. 

I may also send a copy of your response to any other person who I believe may find it 
useful or of interest. 

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. 

9 

21st October 2021 

3

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 North East London NHS Foundation Trust (PDF)
Trust Head Office 
CEME Centre 
West Wing 
Marsh Way 
Rainham 
RM13 8GX 

Tel: 0300 555 1200 Ext:64290 

10th November 2021 

PRIVATE AND CONFIDENTIAL  

Miss N Persaud 
Her Majesty’s Coroner  
East London 
Walthamstow Coroners Court 

Your Ref: NP/SC/ 8562097 

Our Ref: 1023 

Dear Miss Persaud 

Re: Inquest Touching upon the death of David Ayotunde Walker 

I refer to your letter dated 21st October 2021 and the enclosed Regulation 28 report, 
issued in respect of your concerns regarding the risk of future deaths.  

Concerns 
At  the  conclusion  of  the  hearing  into  the  death  of  David  Ayotunde  Walker,  you 
expressed concern on the matters below as follows:  

1.  Between  end  of  May 2020  to  November 2020,  Mr Walker was  allocated  four 
different  care  coordinators.  There  was  evidence  that  only  one  of  these  care 
coordinators established a therapeutic relationship with Mr Walker. Many of the 
care coordinators were locum staff. 

2.  On admission to hospital on the  10th November 2020, no steps were taken to 
seek collateral information from other Trusts involved in the care of Mr Walker. 
Mr Walker had been under the care of East London Foundation Trust in July 
and August 2020 and this Trust held a great deal of vital risk information, that 
should have been available to the North East London Foundation Trust team. 
There was no evidence that the admission check list included the requirement 
for collateral healthcare information to be sought. 

We have taken the following actions in relation to your concerns:  

High  turnover  of  care  coordinators  and  only  one  formed  a  therapeutic 
relationship 
To act on the concerns immediately, agency staff have been sourced to support the 
Waltham Forest Community Recovery Teams. These staff have been recruited on a 
semi-permanent basis, whilst staff recruitment is taking place.  

Chair: 

Chief Executive: 

www.nelft.nhs.uk 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Approval has  been  given  for the  service  to  recruit  over the establishment budget  to 
allow for reduced caseloads, so care coordinators can build relationships with patients.  

All staff, including temporary staff will be supported with training during induction and 
will be provided clinical supervision, to ensure that  they are appropriately managing 
patients’ identified risks and are building relationship with patients they work with.  

All clinical supervisors will be provided with a template / prompt that highlights the key 
elements  of  care  coordination  such  as  relationship  building,  risk  management  and 
caseload management, so staff are supported in their work with patients.   

The  service  has  explored  new  ways  of  delivering  care  to  ensure  all  patients  on  the 
caseload are appropriately managed. The new proposal will introduce a high intensity 
and lower intensity caseload management model, which will include risk management 
at every level with senior staff supervision. 

No evidence collateral healthcare information sought 
Our  inpatient  services  have  sent  communication  to  all  inpatient  staff,  which  clearly 
outlines  how  staff  can  access  ELFT  records  through  an  external  shared  link  on  the 
patient electronic record. As part of the Admission process, the electronic Admission 
checklist  /  audit  section  on  RIO,  will  be  amended  to  include  a  section  which  asks 
whether  a  patient  is  known  to  another  Trust  and  prompts  staff  to  obtain  collateral 
information, as part of the standard admission process. A further reminder will be sent 
to all medical and nursing staff to ensure that this is obtained at the earliest opportunity.  

I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for raising your concerns as part of the 
inquest. We find the learning from inquests extremely valuable and are very grateful 
for  your  comprehensive  investigations,  which  benefit  not  only  the  families  of  the 
deceased, but also the Trust and its current & future service users. 

Yours sincerely 

Chief Executive 

Chair: 

Chief Executive: 

www.nelft.nhs.uk

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