Prevention of Future Deaths reports · 2018

Andrew Finlay

Regulation 28 report to prevent future deaths, written 26 Jan 2018. A coroner writes one of these when an inquest reveals a risk that could cause further deaths unless something changes.

Date of report26 Jan 2018
DeceasedAndrew Finlay
CoronerDerek Winter
Coroner areaSunderland
CategoryCommunity health care and emergency services related deaths
Sourcejudiciary.uk record · original PDF
Responses publishednone published

The report

Text recovered by OCR from a scanned PDF. OCR is imperfect: check anything you rely on against the source PDF. Reproduced verbatim, including the scan's own layout.

Derek Winter DL
Senior Coroner for the City of Sunderland

REGULATION 28 REPORT TO PREVENT FUTURE DEATHS
THIS REPORT IS BEING SENT TO: -
Ms Yvonne Ormston

Chief Executive
North East Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust

CORONER

I am Derek Winter DL, Senior Coroner for the City of Sunderland

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

INVESTIGATION and INQUEST

On 14" December 2016 Mr Andrew Stephen Finlay, aged 54 years, died at his home
address. The Inquest, as part of my Investigation, concluded on 25"" January 2018, when I
recorded a conclusion of Natural Causes.
The Cause of Death following Post-Mortem Examination was: -

la Myocardial Infarction

Ib Coronary Artery Thrombosis

Ic Coronary Artery Atheroma

II Hypertension

CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE DEATH

Andrew Stephen Finlay, known in the Inquest as Andrew, aged 54 years, collapsed at his
home address on 13"" December 2016. Andrew’s partner telephoned 999 from their home
address requesting an emergency ambulance. The call was graded as a Red 2 response.
The normal response time for this category of call is 8 minutes.

Despite further telephone calls, it took an ambulance crew in the region of 36 minutes to
arrive.

Expert evidence from a Consultant in Emergency Medicine and a Consultant Cardiologist
was such that delays in the despatch and arrival of an ambulance crew did not affect the
outcome. It was more likely than not that Andrew would have died in any event.

Civic Centre, Burdon Road,Sunderland, SR2 7DN
Tel 0191 5617843 | Fax 01915537803 | DX 60729 Sunderland
www.sunderland.gov.uk/coroner

CORONER’S CONCERNS

Inquests are a fact finding inquiry into a person’s death and it is important that lessons are
learnt. The making of this report is not punitive nor is it a censure.

However, it is the 2"’ such Report in recent months that I have written about the timely
despatch and arrival of an ambulance crew in response to a 999 call.

I heard evidence about the reviews of procedures undertaken since Andrew’s death, but I
still have concerns.

Although the plans for the recruitment and retention of personnel and the purchase of
additional vehicles were encouraging to hear evidence about, I was told there were still 32
paramedic vacancies to be filled a year on after Andrew’s death.

For Andrew the delay made no difference, but for someone else it might. Accordingly it is
my duty to write this Report to you, particularly as it may add impetus to the improvement
plan.

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 27" March 2018. 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: -
. Family and their Solicitors
Secretary of State for Health
Head of Risk — Quality and Safety, North East Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust and Trust’s Counsel/Solicitors
Care Quality Commission (CQC)
Healthcare Safety Investigation Branch (HSIB)

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 this 26" day of January 2018

Signature Q A ra

Senior Coroner for the City of Sunderland

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