Prevention of Future Deaths reports · 2021

Owen Hinds

Regulation 28 report to prevent future deaths, reference 2021-0391, written 7 May 2021. A coroner writes one of these when an inquest reveals a risk that could cause further deaths unless something changes.

Date of report7 May 2021
Reference2021-0391
DeceasedOwen Hinds
CoronerLaurinder Bower
Coroner areaNottingham City and Nottinghamshire
CategoryCommunity health care · Other related deaths
Sourcejudiciary.uk record · original PDF
Responses published1

The report

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

Regulation 28: REPORT TO PREVENT FUTURE DEATHS (1) 

NOTE:  This from is to be used after an inquest. 
REGULATION 28 REPORT TO PREVENT DEATHS 

THIS REPORT IS BEING SENT TO:  

1  Nottingham and Nottinghamshire Clinical Commissioning 

Group 

1   CORONER 

I am Miss Laurinda Bower, HM Assistant Coroner, for the area of Nottingham City and 
Nottinghamshire 

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. 

3   INVESTIGATION and INQUEST 

On Twenty-Fifth March 2020 I commenced an investigation into the death of Owen Joseph HINDS, 
aged 26.  The investigation concluded at the end of the inquest on 29 January 2021. The 
conclusion of the inquest was:  

I a Systemic Inflammatory Response Syndrome 
I b Bronchopneumonia 
I c  
II Cirrhosis & Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease, 
Congestive Cardiac Failure, Obesity & Nutritional Impairment, Low Albumin, Autism 
4   CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE DEATH 

Owen Joseph Hinds was a young man with Autism without Learning Disability (formerly known as 
Asperger's Syndrome).  

His Autism led him to follow a restricted diet (which would likely now be diagnosed as ARFID - 
Avoidance Restrictive Food Intake Disorder). 

His restricted diet led to chronic nutritional deficiency and obesity. 

Professionals worked with Owen on psychological and behavioural strategies to improve his diet. 
There was limited sustained improvement, but it was felt that Owen retained capacity to decide 
what to eat and drink. 

His physical health was monitored in primary care in accordance with his wishes, as he was felt to 
have capacity to consent to healthcare observations and frequently exercised his right to decline 
observations. 

Sadly, Owen's lifestyle probably led to the development of chronic liver disease and a degree of 
heart failure. These conditions were not detected or diagnosed in life, despite monitoring, and 
probably contributed to his death from an overwhelming chest infection on 28 February 2020, at the 
Queen's Medical Centre, Nottingham. 

Owen's Autism was the root cause of his tragic and untimely death because it prevented him from 
accessing the medical assistance that he required. There is no specialist service commissioned to 
provide ASD patients with long term dietetic support, and I heard this is what Owen needed 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 5   CORONER’S CONCERNS 

The MATTERS OF CONCERNS are as follows:  

1.  There is no specialist service commissioned to provide ASD patients with long term dietetic 
support for ARFID symptoms, despite the increasingly prevalence of ARFID diagnosis. 

At the time of the inquest, I was informed that Owen did not meet the criteria for support 
from any of the Dietetic services.  

The Nottingham City Autism Service (NCAS) went above and beyond their remit in co-
ordinating support from his GP. The service is commissioned to provide diagnostic and 
short term post-diagnostic intervention, yet they worked with Owen (as they do with many 
other patients) for years in order to bridge the gap in service provision. However, they 
could not provide the sustained ARFID support that Owen required. 

Owen did not meet the criteria for support from the Eating Disorder Service or Dietetic 
Services (on account of his diet concerns being linked to his ASD) or Primary Care 
Learning Disability Nurse (as Owen did not have an intellectual impairment). 

6   ACTION SHOULD BE TAKEN 

In my opinion action should be taken to prevent future deaths and I believe you (and/or your 
organisation) have the power to take such action. 

7  YOUR RESPONSE 

You are under a duty to respond to this report within 56 days of the date of this report,  
namely by 02 July 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     
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………                                                                                     
I have also sent it to   National Autistic Society     
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………                                  
who may find it useful or of interest. 

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. 

9    
Miss Laurinda Bower 
HM Assistant Coroner for  
Nottingham City and Nottinghamshire 
Dated: 7 May 2021

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 Nottingham and Nottinghamshire CCG (PDF)
Sir John Robinson House 
Sir John Robinson Way 
Arnold 
Nottingham 
NG5 6DA 

Date: 29 October 2021 

Miss Bower 
Assistant Coroner Nottinghamshire 

Dear Miss Bower  

Re: Regulation 28 – Report to Prevent Future Deaths 

I am writing to provide you with a response to the above Regulation 28 report, dated 7 May 2021, in which you 
raised concerns that there is no specialist service commissioned to provide Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD) 
patients with long-term dietetic support for symptoms of Avoidant Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID). 

NHS  Nottingham  and  Nottinghamshire  Clinical  Commissioning  Group 
liaised  with 
Nottinghamshire  Healthcare  Trust  (NHT)  to  understand  the  circumstances  surrounding  this  case  and  the 
clinical pathways for autistic individuals with ARFID.  

(CCG)  have 

As a system we have developed an overarching action plan which describes our intention to develop an all-
age pathway for individuals who are affected by ARFID. This pathway will ensure we are able to meet the 
needs of ARFID patients who are neurotypical and those who are autistic or who have other comorbidities. 

To  ensure  pathways  and  services  are  patient  centred  we  will  undertake  engagement  with  individuals  and 
families whose lives have been affected by ARFID within childhood and adulthood. An All Ages ARFID working 
group  will  be  established  to  lead  the  pathway  development  work  and  engagement,  with  this  being 
complemented by a broader service transformation programme which aims to improve the lives of individuals 
with Learning Disabilities and/or Autism. The Nottingham and Nottinghamshire Integrated Care System (ICS) 
Mental Health and Social Care Partnership Board will oversee delivery of this work.   

I hope the above, together with the action plan, provides you with assurance of our commitment to addressing 
the issues you have raised and am happy to provide regular updates regarding how this work is progressing. 
Please let me know if you require any further information. 

Yours Sincerely, 

p.p.

Associate Director of Commissioning, Contracting & Performance – Mental Health and Community 

 
 
 
 
 Avoidant Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID) Pathway Development Action Plan 

Objective 

Actions 

Develop All Ages 
ARFID Pathway 

Review recommendations from regional CAMHS ARFID 
pilot and national work around ARFID 

Timescales 
(By When) 
Nov ‘21 

Owner 

Commentary 

All Ages ARFID Task 
and Finish Group 

Awaiting publication of regional 
reports.  

Undertake review of clinical cases to understand current 
provision and service gaps 

Oct ‘21 

Completed. 

Undertake needs assessment, including prevalence and 
impact of comorbidities such as ASD 

Undertake literature review and understand evidence 
base for the treatment of ARFID 

Review current service provision 

Engagement with children, young people and families 
affected by ARFID 

Develop preferred pathway with recommendations for 
service delivery 

Jan ‘22 

Jan ‘22 

Jan ‘22 

Apr ‘22 

Jun ‘22 

Obtain approval of preferred pathway and resources  

Jul ‘22 

Implementation of agreed pathway 

Monitor and evaluation of agreed pathway 

Undertake skills audit and training needs analysis across 
specialist and non-specialist services to identify training 
requirements 

Nov ‘22 

Ongoing 

Apr ‘22 

Explore development of expanded roles within primary 
care 

Mar ‘23 

Develop workforce 
capability across 
the All Ages 
ARFID pathway 
and relevant 
support services 

All Ages ARFID Task 
and Finish Group 

Page 1 of 2 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Explore with Health Education England (HEE) the 
development of workforce competencies around ARFID 

Expand LeDeR 
reviews to include 
autistic people  

Expand the learning from deaths mortality reviews to 
autistic people in addition to people with learning 
disabilities 

Develop Annual 
Health Checks for 
autistic people  

Identify themes from LeDeR reviews and embed 
processes to ensure that learning from deaths inform 
improvements in practice across the system 

Incorporate the learning from the Learning Disability 
Annual Health checks and develop Annual Health 
Checks for autistic people, in line with the NHS Long 
Term Plan, and to include specific physical health 
requirements relating to ARFID and incorporating 
learning from the Primary Care Learning Disability 
Nurses 

Mar ‘23 

Mar ‘22 

Oct ‘22 

Learning Disability 
Mortality Review 
(LeDeR) Steering 
Group  

Mar ‘24 

LD Annual Health 
Checks Group 

Page 2 of 2

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