Prevention of Future Deaths reports · 2024

Thomas Langley

Regulation 28 report to prevent future deaths, reference 2024-0029, written 23 Jan 2024. A coroner writes one of these when an inquest reveals a risk that could cause further deaths unless something changes.

Date of report23 Jan 2024
Reference2024-0029
DeceasedThomas Langley
CoronerSabyta Kaushal
Coroner areaDerby and Derbyshire
CategoryAlcohol, drug and medication 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 

NOTE:  This form is to be used after an inquest. 

REGULATION 28 REPORT TO PREVENT DEATHS 

THIS REPORT IS BEING SENT TO: 

1 

 Travel Lodge 

1  CORONER 

I am Sabyta KAUSHAL, Assistant Coroner for the coroner area of Derby and Derbyshire 

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 22 May 2019 I commenced an investigation into the death of Thomas Roy LANGLEY 
aged 24.  The investigation concluded at the end of the inquest on 18 January 2024.  The 
conclusion of the inquest was that: 

Thomas Roy Langley, date of birth 12th July 1994, of 
, had a 
history of mental illness to include depression, schizophrenia, learning difficulties, alcohol 
and drug misuse; there had been several drug overdoses. On the evening of 21st May 
2019, he arrived at the Travel Lodge Hotel, County Ground Derby. During the early hours of 
22nd May 2019, he took toxic levels of MDMA 

, which sadly resulted in his death on 22nd May 2019 at the 

hotel. 

4  CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE DEATH 

Found collapsed in hotel room. 

5  CORONER’S CONCERNS 

During the course of the investigation my inquiries 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: 
(brief summary of matters of concern) 

1. There is no fully trained First aid trained employee on site at a Travel Lodge hotel 
premises for 24 hours of the day; at present there is a fully trained first aid employee on 
site from only 7am to 7pm. Emergency medical situations could present themselves 
between after 7pm and 7am and when there is only 1 Travel Lodge employee on the 
premises. 
2. All staff employees do not presently have basic first aid training with regular follow up 
refresher courses. 
i.e. they do not have both online AND face to face practical training to assess and handle 
emergency medical situations that may present themselves day or night - situations that 
may cause an employee and residents staying at a Travel Lodge to panic. It may be the 
case that they have a lack of understanding of the present first aid training. This training is 
key at night when there is only 1 member of staff on site at a Travel Lodge hotel premises. 

CONTROLLED 

Regulation 28 – After Inquest 
Document Template Updated 30/07/2021 

 
 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 March 19, 2024.  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 the following 

 –  parents of the deceased 

Derbyshire County Council 
Staffordshire County Council 
South Derbyshire District Council 
Derbyshire Healthcare NHST Trust 
North Staffordshire Combined Healthcare Trust / Harplands Hospital 
Queen’s Hospital Burton 

who may find it useful or of interest. 

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 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 by the Chief Coroner. 

9  Dated: 23/01/2024 

Sabyta KAUSHAL 
Assistant Coroner for 
Derby and Derbyshire 

CONTROLLED 

Regulation 28 – After Inquest 
Document Template Updated 30/07/2021

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 Travelodge (PDF)
11th March 2024 

Ms Sabyta Kaushal 
Derby & Derbyshire Coroners Office 
Saint Katherines House 
Saint Mary's Wharf 
Mansfield Road 
Derby DE1 3TQ 

Dear Ms Kaushal 

Thank you for your Regulation 28 report dated 23 January 2024, concerning the 

circumstances  relating  to  the  passing  of  Mr  Thomas  Roy  Langley,  which  your 

report confirms was sadly caused as a result of Mr Langley taking a toxic level of 

a  number  of  substances  at  some  point  during  his  stay  at  the  Derby  Cricket 

Ground Travelodge on the 21st - 22nd May 2019. 

I have read your report in detail, and as a result I reviewed our existing first aid 

arrangements,  paying  particular  reference  to  this  incident.  This  review  has 

included discussions with other departments across the wider business, as well as 

a  review  of  all  the  incidents  reported  as  requiring  the  provision  of  first  aid 

assistance during 2023, which confirms, as with the review of incidents reported 

during 2019 which was undertaken following notification of the inquest,  that the 

majority  of  the  incidents  that  require  first  aid  assistance  still  occur  during  the 

day,  with  only  circa  9%  of  incidents  occurring  between  the  hours  of  00:00  and 

06:00.   

It should also be noted that the first aid provisions in place at the Derby Cricket 

Ground  Travelodge  at  the  time  this  tragic  incident  occurred  complied  with  the 

legal  obligations  placed  upon  Travelodge  by  the  Health  &  Safety  (First  Aid)  at 

Work  Regulations  1981  (“The  Regulations”).  The  first  aid  risk  assessment  was 

undertaken as required by The Regulations, and follows the guidance set out with 

the  Health  &  Safety  Executive’s  (“HSE”)  guidance  document  ‘First  aid  at  work: 

Guidance  on  regulations’,  which  advises  that  for  low  hazard  environments,  such 

as offices and shops, which would include Travelodge hotels, with fewer than 25 

employees on duty, only 1 first aid Appointed Person is required.  

 
 
 
  
  
 
 
  
  
 The  guidance  also  states  that  under  The  Regulations,  employers  have  no  legal 

duty  to  provide  first  aid  for  non-employees  /  members  of  the  public,  but 

recommends  that  we  consider  them  when  undertaking  our  assessments,  which 

Travelodge had done and as a result had provided the hotel management teams 

with  basic  first  aid  training,  above  what  was  required  for  a  first  aid  Appointed 

Person.  

Travelodge  reviews  its  safety  and  security  policies  and  risk  assessments  on  an 

annual basis, or more frequently if an incident occurs indicating that a review of a 

current  policy,  procedure  or  risk  assessment  is  required.  Prior  to  the  incident 

involving Mr Langley occurring in May 2019, this risk assessment was reviewed in 

January 2019, and confirmed to continue to be adequate and appropriate.  

Additionally,  it  should  also  be  noted  that  the  pathologist  specifically  stated  that 

due  to  the  level  of  toxins  taken  by  Mr  Langley,  no  amount  of  first  aid  provision 

that could have been provided at the hotel would have altered the subsequently 

tragic fatal outcome. 

Having  reviewed  our  existing  arrangements,  taking  into  account  the  number  of 

incidents reported, types of injuries reported that require first aid assistance, the 

times of day when incidents tend to occur and the specific circumstances relating 

to  the  passing  of  Mr  Langley,  I  have  concluded  that  our  existing  first  aid 

arrangements  of  providing  basic  first  aid  training  to  the  members  of  our  hotel 

management teams, who are generally on site at hotels during the day when the 

majority  of  incidents  requiring  the  provision  of  first  aid  occur,  continues  to  be 

adequate and appropriate.    

However,  in  light  of  your  concerns,  we  have  decided  to  extend  the  level  of 

training given to all reception team members, including those who cover the night 

shift,  to  include  the  basic  level  of  first  aid  training  currently  provided  to  our 

management  teams.  This  will  result  in  over  3,500  extra  Travelodge  team 

members  being  provided  with  basic  first  aid  training,  and  will  ensure  that  there 

will  always  be  a  team  member  on  duty  that  has  had  a  basic  level  of  first  aid 

training 24hrs a day. We are currently working through the logistics of providing 

 
 
 
 this additional  training to such a large number of team members, which will be 

implemented at the earliest opportunity this year.   

All  other  hotel  team  members  will  continue  to  be  provided  with  adequate  and 

appropriate first aid information and instruction to enable them to undertake the 

duties of a first aid appointed person should the need arise. 

Thank you for bringing your concerns to my attention.  

Yours sincerely 

Head of Safety & Security

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