Prevention of Future Deaths reports · 2024

John Howe

Regulation 28 report to prevent future deaths, reference 2024-0339, written 25 Jun 2024. A coroner writes one of these when an inquest reveals a risk that could cause further deaths unless something changes.

Date of report25 Jun 2024
Reference2024-0339
DeceasedJohn Howe
CoronerLauren Costello
Coroner areaManchester South
CategoryHospital Death (Clinical Procedures and medical management) related deaths
Sourcejudiciary.uk record · original PDF
Responses published3

The report

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

REGULATION 28:  REPORT TO PREVENT FUTURE DEATHS 

REGULATION(cid:3)28(cid:3)REPORT(cid:3)TO(cid:3)PREVENT(cid:3)FUTURE(cid:3)

DEATHS(cid:3)THIS(cid:3)REPORT(cid:3)IS(cid:3)BEING(cid:3)SENT(cid:3)TO:(cid:3)

1.  Chief(cid:3)Executive,(cid:3)Manchester(cid:3)City(cid:3)Council(cid:3)
2.  Chief(cid:3)Executive,(cid:3)East(cid:3)Midlands(cid:3)Ambulance(cid:3)Service(cid:3)
3.  Group(cid:3)Chief(cid:3)Executive(cid:3)Manchester(cid:3)University(cid:3)NHS(cid:3)Foundation(cid:3)Trust(cid:3)

1 

CORONER(cid:3)

I(cid:3)am(cid:3)Lauren(cid:3)Costello,(cid:3)Assistant(cid:3)Coroner,(cid:3)for(cid:3)the(cid:3)Coroner(cid:3)Area(cid:3)of(cid:3)
Manchester(cid:3)South(cid:3)

2 

CORONER’S(cid:3)LEGAL(cid:3)POWERS(cid:3)

I(cid:3)make(cid:3)this(cid:3)report(cid:3)under(cid:3)paragraph(cid:3)7,(cid:3)Schedule(cid:3)5,(cid:3)of(cid:3)the(cid:3)Coroners(cid:3)and(cid:3)
Justice(cid:3)Act(cid:3)2009(cid:3)and(cid:3)Regulations(cid:3)28(cid:3)and(cid:3)29(cid:3)of(cid:3)the(cid:3)Coroners(cid:3)(Investigations)(cid:3)
Regulations(cid:3)2013.(cid:3)

3 

INVESTIGATION(cid:3)and(cid:3)INQUEST(cid:3)

On(cid:3)2nd(cid:3)June(cid:3)2023(cid:3)an(cid:3)investigation(cid:3)was(cid:3)commenced(cid:3)into(cid:3)the(cid:3)death(cid:3)of(cid:3)John(cid:3)Howe,(cid:3)
then(cid:3)aged(cid:3)81(cid:3)years.(cid:3)The(cid:3)investigation(cid:3)concluded(cid:3)at(cid:3)the(cid:3)end(cid:3)of(cid:3)the(cid:3)inquest(cid:3)on(cid:3)24th(cid:3)
May(cid:3)2024.(cid:3)At(cid:3)the(cid:3)end(cid:3)of(cid:3)the(cid:3)Inquest,(cid:3)I(cid:3)recorded(cid:3)a(cid:3)narrative(cid:3)conclusion(cid:3)that(cid:3)Mr(cid:3)
Howe(cid:3)died(cid:3)as(cid:3)a(cid:3)result(cid:3)of(cid:3)hospital(cid:3)acquired(cid:3)pneumonia(cid:3)against(cid:3)a(cid:3)background(cid:3)of(cid:3)
necessary(cid:3)surgery(cid:3)to(cid:3)treat(cid:3)diabetic(cid:3)foot(cid:3)sepsis.(cid:3)

4 

CIRCUMSTANCES(cid:3)OF(cid:3)THE(cid:3)DEATH(cid:3)

John(cid:3)Howe(cid:3)was(cid:3)an(cid:3)81-year-old(cid:3)man(cid:3)with(cid:3)type(cid:3)2(cid:3)diabetes(cid:3)and(cid:3)peripheral(cid:3)vascular(cid:3)
disease.(cid:3)His(cid:3)diabetes(cid:3)was(cid:3)not(cid:3)always(cid:3)controlled,(cid:3)and(cid:3)he(cid:3)had(cid:3)frequent(cid:3)episodes(cid:3)of(cid:3)
high(cid:3)blood(cid:3)sugar.(cid:3)In(cid:3)December(cid:3)2021(cid:3)he(cid:3)started(cid:3)to(cid:3)experience(cid:3)issues(cid:3)with(cid:3)his(cid:3)foot(cid:3)
including(cid:3)sepsis(cid:3)as(cid:3)a(cid:3)result(cid:3)of(cid:3)the(cid:3)diabetes(cid:3)and(cid:3)peripheral(cid:3)vascular(cid:3)disease.(cid:3)His(cid:3)
foot(cid:3)deteriorated(cid:3)and(cid:3)by(cid:3)October(cid:3)2022(cid:3)he(cid:3)was(cid:3)advised(cid:3)that(cid:3)amputation(cid:3)was(cid:3)
necessary,(cid:3)but(cid:3)he(cid:3)did(cid:3)not(cid:3)consent(cid:3)to(cid:3)this.(cid:3)

During(cid:3)an(cid:3)admission(cid:3)on(cid:3)28th(cid:3)April(cid:3)2023,(cid:3)it(cid:3)was(cid:3)discovered(cid:3)that(cid:3)his(cid:3)condition(cid:3)had(cid:3)
deteriorated,(cid:3)and(cid:3)he(cid:3)agreed(cid:3)to(cid:3)an(cid:3)amputation(cid:3)which(cid:3)took(cid:3)place(cid:3)on(cid:3)10th(cid:3)May(cid:3)2023(cid:3)at(cid:3)
Manchester(cid:3)Royal(cid:3)Infirmary.(cid:3)He(cid:3)was(cid:3)discharged(cid:3)home(cid:3)on(cid:3)19th(cid:3)May(cid:3)2023(cid:3)but(cid:3)
thereafter(cid:3)he(cid:3)deteriorated(cid:3)and(cid:3)was(cid:3)admitted(cid:3)to(cid:3)Stepping(cid:3)Hill(cid:3)Hospital,(cid:3)Poplar(cid:3)
Grove(cid:3)Stockport(cid:3)on(cid:3)23rd(cid:3)May(cid:3)2023.(cid:3)Despite(cid:3)treatment(cid:3)he(cid:3)continued(cid:3)to(cid:3)deteriorate(cid:3)
and(cid:3)died(cid:3)there(cid:3)on(cid:3)28th(cid:3)May(cid:3)2023(cid:3)as(cid:3)a(cid:3)result(cid:3)of(cid:3)hospital(cid:3)acquired(cid:3)pneumonia(cid:3)against(cid:3)
a(cid:3)background(cid:3)of(cid:3)necessary(cid:3)surgery(cid:3)to(cid:3)treat(cid:3)the(cid:3)diabetic(cid:3)foot(cid:3)sepsis(cid:3)and(cid:3)
haemorrhage(cid:3)from(cid:3)the(cid:3)wound.(cid:3)

The(cid:3)Inquest(cid:3)heard(cid:3)that(cid:3)when(cid:3)Mr(cid:3)Howe(cid:3)was(cid:3)discharged(cid:3)from(cid:3)hospital(cid:3)on(cid:3)19th(cid:3)
May(cid:3)2023,(cid:3)and(cid:3)he(cid:3)was(cid:3)woken(cid:3)from(cid:3)sleep(cid:3)at(cid:3)23:00(cid:3)to(cid:3)be(cid:3)transported(cid:3)home(cid:3)
meaning(cid:3)that(cid:3)he(cid:3)arrived(cid:3)at(cid:3)his(cid:3)home(cid:3)address(cid:3)in(cid:3)the(cid:3)early(cid:3)hours(cid:3)of(cid:3)the(cid:3)

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 morning(cid:3)on(cid:3)20th(cid:3)May(cid:3)2023.(cid:3)His(cid:3)family(cid:3)were(cid:3)not(cid:3)aware(cid:3)that(cid:3)this(cid:3)was(cid:3)
happening,(cid:3)access(cid:3)to(cid:3)his(cid:3)home(cid:3)was(cid:3)difficult,(cid:3)and(cid:3)it(cid:3)resulted(cid:3)in(cid:3)him(cid:3)being(cid:3)left(cid:3)
outside(cid:3)whilst(cid:3)this(cid:3)was(cid:3)addressed.(cid:3)

A(cid:3)serious(cid:3)Incident(cid:3)Review(cid:3)took(cid:3)place,(cid:3)and(cid:3)a(cid:3)report(cid:3)was(cid:3)prepared(cid:3)after(cid:3)a(cid:3)
lengthy(cid:3)delay.(cid:3)

5 

CORONER’S(cid:3)CONCERNS(cid:3)

During(cid:3)the(cid:3)course(cid:3)of(cid:3)the(cid:3)inquest,(cid:3)the(cid:3)evidence(cid:3)revealed(cid:3)matters(cid:3)giving(cid:3)rise(cid:3)to(cid:3)
concern.(cid:3)In(cid:3)my(cid:3)opinion(cid:3)there(cid:3)is(cid:3)a(cid:3)risk(cid:3)that(cid:3)future(cid:3)deaths(cid:3)could(cid:3)occur(cid:3)unless(cid:3)
action(cid:3)is(cid:3)taken.(cid:3)In(cid:3)the(cid:3)circumstances(cid:3)it(cid:3)is(cid:3)my(cid:3)statutory(cid:3)duty(cid:3)to(cid:3)report(cid:3)to(cid:3)you.(cid:3)

The(cid:3)MATTERS(cid:3)OF(cid:3)CONCERN(cid:3)is(cid:3)as(cid:3)follows.(cid:3)–(cid:3)

(1)(cid:3)The(cid:3)inquest(cid:3)heard(cid:3)that(cid:3)there(cid:3)has(cid:3)been(cid:3)a(cid:3)change(cid:3)in(cid:3)policy(cid:3)with(cid:3)regards(cid:3)

to(cid:3)the(cid:3)timing(cid:3)of(cid:3)discharge(cid:3)of(cid:3)patients(cid:3)from(cid:3)Manchester(cid:3)Royal(cid:3)
Infirmary(cid:3)in(cid:3)circumstances(cid:3)where(cid:3)a(cid:3)patient(cid:3)is(cid:3)unable(cid:3)to(cid:3)manage(cid:3)
independently(cid:3)when(cid:3)they(cid:3)arrive(cid:3)home.(cid:3)However,(cid:3)the(cid:3)Inquest(cid:3)heard(cid:3)
that(cid:3)late(cid:3)discharges(cid:3)were(cid:3)still(cid:3)happening.(cid:3)In(cid:3)addition,(cid:3)the(cid:3)Inquest(cid:3)
heard(cid:3)that(cid:3)the(cid:3)East(cid:3)Midlands(cid:3)Ambulance(cid:3)Service(cid:3)were(cid:3)unaware(cid:3)of(cid:3)
the(cid:3)change(cid:3)in(cid:3)discharge(cid:3)timings.(cid:3)

(2)(cid:3)Completion(cid:3)of(cid:3)the(cid:3)Serious(cid:3)Incident(cid:3)Review(cid:3)was(cid:3)delayed,(cid:3)and(cid:3)the(cid:3)
report(cid:3)contained(cid:3)factual(cid:3)inaccuracies,(cid:3)giving(cid:3)rise(cid:3)to(cid:3)a(cid:3)concern(cid:3)
relating(cid:3)to(cid:3)the(cid:3)approach(cid:3)taken(cid:3)by(cid:3)Manchester(cid:3)City(cid:3)Council(cid:3)to(cid:3)Serious(cid:3)
Incident(cid:3)Reviews.(cid:3)

6 

ACTION(cid:3)SHOULD(cid:3)BE(cid:3)TAKEN(cid:3)

In(cid:3)my(cid:3)opinion(cid:3)action(cid:3)should(cid:3)be(cid:3)taken(cid:3)to(cid:3)prevent(cid:3)future(cid:3)deaths(cid:3)and(cid:3)I(cid:3)believe(cid:3)
you(cid:3)and(cid:3)have(cid:3)the(cid:3)power(cid:3)to(cid:3)take(cid:3)such(cid:3)action.(cid:3)

7 

YOUR(cid:3)RESPONSE(cid:3)

You(cid:3)are(cid:3)under(cid:3)a(cid:3)duty(cid:3)to(cid:3)respond(cid:3)to(cid:3)this(cid:3)report(cid:3)within(cid:3)56(cid:3)days(cid:3)of(cid:3)the(cid:3)date(cid:3)of(cid:3)this(cid:3)
report,(cid:3)namely(cid:3)by(cid:3)20th(cid:3)August(cid:3)2024.(cid:3)I,(cid:3)the(cid:3)coroner,(cid:3)may(cid:3)extend(cid:3)the(cid:3)period.(cid:3)

Your(cid:3)response(cid:3)must(cid:3)contain(cid:3)details(cid:3)of(cid:3)action(cid:3)taken(cid:3)or(cid:3)proposed(cid:3)to(cid:3)be(cid:3)taken,(cid:3)
setting(cid:3)out(cid:3)the(cid:3)timetable(cid:3)for(cid:3)action.(cid:3)Otherwise,(cid:3)you(cid:3)must(cid:3)explain(cid:3)why(cid:3)no(cid:3)action(cid:3)is(cid:3)
proposed.(cid:3)

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 8 

COPIES and PUBLICATION 

I(cid:3)have(cid:3)sent(cid:3)a(cid:3)copy(cid:3)of(cid:3)my(cid:3)report(cid:3)to(cid:3)the(cid:3)Chief(cid:3)Coroner(cid:3)and(cid:3)to(cid:3)the(cid:3)following(cid:3)
Interested(cid:3)Persons:(cid:3)

(cid:3)on(cid:3)behalf(cid:3)of(cid:3)the(cid:3)family(cid:3)and(cid:3)Stepping(cid:3)Hill(cid:3)Hospital(cid:3).(cid:3)

I(cid:3)am(cid:3)also(cid:3)under(cid:3)a(cid:3)duty(cid:3)to(cid:3)send(cid:3)a(cid:3)copy(cid:3)of(cid:3)your(cid:3)response(cid:3)to(cid:3)the(cid:3)Chief(cid:3)Coroner(cid:3)
and(cid:3)all(cid:3)interested(cid:3)persons(cid:3)who(cid:3)in(cid:3)my(cid:3)opinion(cid:3)should(cid:3)receive(cid:3)it.(cid:3)

The(cid:3)Chief(cid:3)Coroner(cid:3)may(cid:3)publish(cid:3)either(cid:3)or(cid:3)both(cid:3)in(cid:3)a(cid:3)complete(cid:3)or(cid:3)redacted(cid:3)or(cid:3)
summary(cid:3)form.(cid:3)He(cid:3)may(cid:3)send(cid:3)a(cid:3)copy(cid:3)of(cid:3)this(cid:3)report(cid:3)to(cid:3)any(cid:3)person(cid:3)who(cid:3)he(cid:3)believes(cid:3)
may(cid:3)find(cid:3)it(cid:3)useful(cid:3)or(cid:3)of(cid:3)interest.(cid:3)

You(cid:3)may(cid:3)make(cid:3)representations(cid:3)to(cid:3)me,(cid:3)the(cid:3)coroner,(cid:3)at(cid:3)the(cid:3)time(cid:3)of(cid:3)your(cid:3)
response,(cid:3)about(cid:3)the(cid:3)release(cid:3)or(cid:3)the(cid:3)publication(cid:3)of(cid:3)your(cid:3)response.(cid:3)

9 

DATE(cid:3)

SIGNED(cid:3)BY(cid:3)CORONER(cid:3)

25th(cid:3)June(cid:3)2024(cid:3)

3

Responses

3 responses 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 Emas (PDF)
Confidential 

Ms L Costello 

Assistant Coroner 

1 Mount Tabor Street 

Stockport 

SK1 3AG 

Dear Ms Costello 

Trust Headquarters 

1 Horizon Place 

Mellors Way 

Nottingham Business Park 

Nottingham 

NG8 6PY 

Telephone: 

Fax: 

Website: www.emas.nhs.uk 

        9 August 2024 

Regulation 28 – Prevention of Future Deaths report regarding the case of Mr John 

Howe deceased 

Thank you for your Regulation 28 report dated 25 June 2024, bringing to my 

attention HM Coroner’s concerns arising from the inquest into the death of Mr 

John Howe.  

I would like to assure you that the Trust takes all matters relating to patient safety 

extremely seriously.  Matters arising from Coroner’s Inquests, from which lessons 

can be learned, including Prevention of Future Deaths reports ,are discussed by 

the Trust’s Incident Review Group.   

Matters of Concern for East Midlands Ambulance Service Non-Emergency Patient 

Transport  

The Inquest heard that there had been a change in policy with regards to the 

timing of discharge of patients from Manchester Royal Infirmary in circumstances 

where a patient is unable to manage independently when they arrive home. 

However, the Inquest heard that late discharges were still happening. In addition, 

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 the Inquest heard that the East Midlands Ambulance Service (EMAS) were unaware 

of the change in discharge timings. 

Sequence of events 

Mr Howe was discharged from hospital on 19 May 2023, and he was woken from 

his sleep at 23:00 to be transported home from Manchester Royal Infirmary, 

meaning that he arrived at his home address in the early hours of the morning on 

20 May 2023. Prior to the crew travelling, a call was made to the hospital to 

confirm that Mr Howe was still able to travel. The attending discharge crew did 

raise concerns on arrival at the ward around the appropriateness of Mr Howe 

going home at a late hour. I understand his family were not aware that he was 

being discharged and the access to his home was difficult. This resulted in Mr 

Howe being left outside whilst this was addressed.  

Firstly, I would like to apologise that Mr Howe had an extended wait outside his 

address whilst arrangements were made to access his property.  

During the Inquest, it was ascertained that discharges for patients on the wards at 

Manchester Royal Infirmary now have a cut off time at 21.00 hours for discharge 

from a hospital ward. At the time of the Inquest EMAS was not aware of this. EMAS 

has subsequently contacted Manchester Royal Infirmary for a copy of the new 

policy, but this is not available to share at present. From previous learning EMAS 

do already contact the ward when a patient is going to be discharged into the 

evening to ensure that this is appropriate, as happened with this case. This will 

continue as a safeguard to patients until the policy is received from Manchester 

Royal Infirmary.  

I hope that this response provides you with the appropriate level of assurance in 

relation to our commitment to continuous improvement of our services.  

Please do not hesitate to contact me should you require any additional 

information or any clarification, in connection with the above.  

Yours sincerely  

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 Deputy Chief Executive  

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Response from Mcc (PDF)
Directorate for Families, Health & 
Wellbeing

Hospital Discharge and Manchester 
Community Response
Adult Social Care
PO Box 532
Town Hall
M60 2LA

Email: 

Lauren Costello, Assistant Coroner, for the Coroner Area of Manchester South
Coroner’s Court
1 Mount Tabor Street
Stockport
SK1 3AG                                                                                                             5th September 2024                                                                                                                                              

Dear HM Assistant Coroner Costello,

RE: John Howe: Prevention of future deaths report

Firstly, I would like to apologise for the delay in my response to your issuing of the report under 
paragraph 7, Schedule 5 of the Coroners and Justice Act 2009 and regulations 28 and 29 of the 
Coroners (Investigations) Regulations 2013. 

I am extremely saddened by the events of the Mr John Howe’s death and, following your report, 
we have amended the inaccuracies in the report and reshared the Serious Incident Review (SIR) 
with Derbyshire Safeguarding Adults Board. I have also reshared the amended SIR with 
Manchester Foundation Trust Safeguarding Team. 

I recognise the delay in completing the initial SIR due to myself not being in work, and as such we 
have set up a system, as a service, to ensure all investigations are completed in a timely manner 
going forward. In reviewing the systems it is essential we are not dependent on a single person 
within the service and, as such, we have put in place processes to ensure that this does not 
happen again. 

We are also reviewing our processes where a person is discharged from a Manchester hospital 
into an ‘out of area’ locality and if a safeguarding concern takes place on discharge. This will 
include ensuring engaging with partners in carrying out the SIR and sharing with them the 
outcomes and recommendations to those organisations. We will also ensure that, in future, we will 
share with agencies who have been consulted so the information provided can be reviewed and 
checked for accuracy, before finalising the report.

Where there is still a need for further engagement with other partners to review where the areas of 
learning which the serious harm experienced by an adult at risk of abuse or neglect could have 
been prevented, it will be sent to the appropriate Safeguarding Board for screening with a 
recommendation for a Safeguarding Adults Review. 

1

A6 I hope that this satisfies the matters of concerns that you have raised in your report and that the 
actions taken demonstrates how serious we take the investigation and completion of SIRs in a 
timely manner as well as involving partners in those investigations. 

Yours sincerely

Strategic Lead for Hospitals, Reablement and Digital

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A7
Response from Mft (PDF)
Joint Group Medical Directors’ Office 
Trust Headquarters 
Room 218, Cobbett House 
Oxford Road 
M13 9WL 

Tel:  

5th August 2024 

HM Assistant Coroner Ms L Costello 
HM Coroner’s Office - Manchester South 
Coroner's Court 
1 Mount Tabor Street 
Stockport 
SK1 3AG 

Dear Ms Costello 

Re. Mr John Francis Howe. Regulation 28: Prevention of Future Deaths 

Thank you for highlighting your concerns in respect of this case, which I have now had the 
opportunity to look into. The response required from Manchester University NHS Foundation 
Trust (MFT) is in relation to the following: 

•  Timing of discharges for patients from the Manchester Royal Infirmary (MRI) 

MFT  was  notified  of  the  second  concern  outlined  within  the  Regulation  28  report  issued 
following the inquest, we understand that this relates to Manchester City Council and therefore 
no response is required from MFT on this matter.  

With regard to the timing of discharges from the MRI, as advised during the inquest there had 
been a locally implemented discharge process which should prevent vulnerable patients being 
discharged home after 21:00 hours. Since the inquest, I can confirm that actions have been 
taken to strengthen this process, which I have explained below.      

Across all adult services within MFT the group wide Discharge Policy (reviewed January 2024) 
is utlised which outlines that “where possible discharges from a ward area should be avoided 
after 20:00 hours”. Within the MRI, the Transfer and Discharge Unit (TDU) is utlised which 
operates until 21:00 hours, Monday – Friday and supports the safe discharge of patients from 
within the hospital. During weekends, patients are discharged directly from ward areas. 

In Mr Howe’s case, he had been transferred to the TDU within the MRI, however the booked 
transport (via East Midlands Ambulance Service) had not arrived by 21:00 hours and therefore 
Mr Howe was transferred to the Ambulatory Care Unit to await transport. It is acknowledged 
that the continuation of Mr Howe’s discharge out of hours took place in the absence of any 
formal guidance relating to delayed transport. 

I am aware that during the inquest, a narrative update was provided to you which described 
the  informal  arrangements  the  MRI  team  had  taken  to  support  the  management  of  late 
discharges, in line with the Discharge Policy. This included the requirement for TDU staff to 
undertake  an  assessment  at  20:00  hours  to  consider  any  remaining  patients  awaiting 
discharge. Any such patient would then be escalated to the MRI Hospital Site Management 
team to enable appropriate bed allocation back within the hospital bed base, if was felt that 
transport would not arrive in a timely manner.  

A1 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 I acknowledge that whilst the inquest heard about this process, there was a lack of evidence 
provided to  the  hearing demonstrating  how  this had  been formally  implemented  across the 
hospital  site  which  could  provide you  with  sufficient  assurance  regarding  the  robustness  of 
these arrangements.  

The MRI team have confirmed that a formal process for managing delayed discharges has 
now  been  developed  via  an  “Out  of  Hours  Discharge  Avoidance”  Standard  Operating 
Procedure  (SOP),  which  will  be  utlised  as  part  of  the  operational  application  of  the  MFT 
Discharge Policy. Whilst this SOP is still in draft, it is due to be presented for ratification at the 
MRI Quality and Safety Committee on Tuesday 13th August 2024. For completeness a copy 
of the draft SOP has been enclosed within this correspondence.  

MFT comprises of several adult hospital sites, and ambulance transport services are utilized 
across  the  organisation.  The  draft  SOP  has  therefore  also  been  shared  with  the  teams  at 
Wythenshawe  Hospital  and  North  Manchester  General  Hospital  who  have  confirmed  their 
intention  to  take  it  through  their  relevant  governance  structures  to  ratify  and  implement.  I 
anticipate that this will prevent inconsistencies in discharge practices across the organisation, 
which could have led to challenges for external providers.  

I  also  note  within  the  Regulation  28  report  that  the  Inquest  heard  that  the  East  Midlands 
Ambulance  Service  were  unaware  of  the  change  in  discharge  timings.  I  hope  that  this 
correspondence assures you of the steps taken to implement a formal and robust process that 
supports decision making when discharges have been delayed. I can confirm that once the 
draft SOP is formally ratified across the relevant sites, MFT intends to formally communicate 
this to the external transport providers that support in the discharges of our patients.    

Please  accept  my  assurances  that  lessons  have  been  learned  from  this  case  and 
appropriate  actions  have  been  put  in  place  to  address  the  issues  raised.  If  you  require 
anything further then please do not hesitate to contact me. 

Yours sincerely  

Joint Group Chief Medical Officer / Responsible Officer 

Enclosed. Draft Out of Hours Discharge Avoidance SOP  

A2

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