Sarah Keen
PFD Report
Partially Responded
Ref: 2024-0123
694 days overdue · 1 response outstanding
Response Status
Responses
1 of 2
56-Day Deadline
30 Apr 2024
694 days past deadline — 1 response outstanding
About PFD responses
Organisations named in PFD reports must respond within 56 days explaining what actions they are taking.
Source: Courts and Tribunals Judiciary
Coroner’s Concerns
(1) The enhanced carer had not been told the reason that she was providing one to one care for Sarah, was not aware of any issues in relation to mental health, the fact of the deprivation of liberty order, or that Sarah was a risk of deliberate self harm including by overdosing on prescribed medications. She was not aware that Sarah had been discharged with seven days of medication or that her medication was being held on her behalf by another in the community. Although it was unusual for her to accompany a person with capacity to their address it was not unusual for her to accompany those without capacity. As a consequence the support worker who was on duty at the time that Sarah returned to her accommodation was not aware from an independent source that Sarah had been discharged with seven days of medication, Sarah lied to the support worker when she was asked whether she had been given any medication disclosing only the fact that she had been given ferrous sulphate which she handed over when her bag contained seven days of the medication which she subsequently ingested with fatal results. Even recognising medical confidentiality, those with a caring role who have not been provided with relevant information cannot meet the needs of the patient if they do not know what the risks are or know when it is appropriate to bring information to another professional charged with the care of the patient be it a nurse, doctor or support worker (2) The note left by the psychiatrist on the medical records did not contain any recommendations as to medication. The psychiatrist was aware that Sarah’s medication was being held by her support workers as a result of the risk of mismanagement by overdosing. He was also aware that it was policy for the hospital to dispense 14 days of medication on discharge. He did not consider asking the discharging doctor to not provide Sarah with any medication on the basis that there was already a prescription in the community and although he considered that it was appropriate for the quantity of discharge medication to be reduced to seven days to reduce the risk of overdose, he did not communicate this to the medical team within the note.
(3) The note left by the psychiatrist on the medical records contained the abbreviation DSH. it was clear from the evidence given at the inquest that this was not universally understood by the medical team to refer to deliberate self harm. Although the Trust has taken some action following the evidence being given at the inquest in that the psychiatrist after giving evidence sent an e-mail to his team detailing his reflections iteam to request that consideration be given to a number of matters in dealing with patients at the hospital. Having considered the e-mail I did not regard this as meeting the extent of my concerns
(3) The note left by the psychiatrist on the medical records contained the abbreviation DSH. it was clear from the evidence given at the inquest that this was not universally understood by the medical team to refer to deliberate self harm. Although the Trust has taken some action following the evidence being given at the inquest in that the psychiatrist after giving evidence sent an e-mail to his team detailing his reflections iteam to request that consideration be given to a number of matters in dealing with patients at the hospital. Having considered the e-mail I did not regard this as meeting the extent of my concerns
Responses
Response received
View full response
Dear Ma’am
Thank you for the Regulations 28 Report to Prevent Future Deaths dated 4 March 2024, in relating to the inquest touching on the death of Sarah Keen. We have considered the report carefully and in communication with Sarah’s Mum and the supported living accommodation staff. The response provided has been written and agreed jointly between Dartford and Gravesham NHS Trust (DGT) and Kent and Medway NHS and Social Care Partnership Trust (KMPT).
We have reflected on the concerns set out within your report and have outline below the steps that have been taken to address each point.
1. The enhanced carer had not been told the reason that she was providing one to one care for Sarah.
Staff at DGT are required to give a full handover to the enhanced carer in line with the ‘Enhanced Carer’s Policy’, which states: “A thorough handover of the patients’ needs must be given by the nurse in charge of the ward. This must be documented within the patient’s daily plan of care. The nurse in charge must also clearly explain the roles and responsibilities expected of the bank or agency staff member”. Where we have not been able to reconcile differences in staff recollection of this information being shared, it was not documented in the patient’s daily care plan.
Action
Staff should record their handover to the enhanced care nurse to explain the risks to harm if they are not present.
Date: 24th May 2024
Patricia Harding Senior Coroner Mid Kent and Medway
Darent Valley Hospital Darenth Wood Road Dartford Kent DA2 8DA
If a member of staff is required to escort a patient to their place of residence, the receiving person is informed and a handover between nursing staff and residence staff occurs. A note of this handover will be recorded in the patient record when the member of staff returns to the ward.
2. The note left by the psychiatrist on the medical records did not contain any recommendations as to medication.
Whilst this is acknowledged by both Trusts, it is must be recognised it is not the sole responsibility of one clinician to share recommendations in regards to medication. There were missed opportunities by staff at DGT to gain an understanding of Sarah’s medication quantities and management in the community, either by discussing this with Sarah (there was no record of discussion), speaking with the staff from supported accommodation, who visited Sarah at the hospital, or by communicating with colleagues at KMPT.
DGT’s ‘Safe Issue of Discharge Prescriptions and Drugs (To Take Out - TTOs) Procedure’ states that: Minimum of 14 days’ supply for regular medicines (unless a specific course length has been prescribed). This gives the opportunity for the prescribing clinician to prescribe a ‘required amount’ rather than a standard amount of medication.
Action
Once admitted to the ward, staff should seek to understand if patients admitted following overdose have any remaining medication at home, and if so, what quantity. This can be actioned by both members of the pharmacy team, medical and ward staff If patients are living in supported or hostel accommodation, staff should make every effort to speak with supporting staff in relation to medication, and support available to the patient on discharge. This would preferably be done with the patient’s consent, but if the risk to self-harm is significant, must be considered without consent of the patient. The discharging clinician (both or either DGT and KMPT) should record if a reduced amount of medication should be prescribed because of risk of self-harm or overdose. The discharge notification should indicate that a reduced amount of medication has been prescribed and the reason for this recorded.
3. The note left by the psychiatrist on the medical records contained the abbreviation DSH.
Both organisations have acknowledged that abbreviations differ between Trusts and should be avoided, or spelled out in the first instance use, if it is to be used regularly through one record.
Action
1. A reminder to staff in both organisations has been circulated through Trust wide communications in regard to the use of abbreviations in patient records.
2. Consider monthly interface meeting with agenda to include potential risk spots, developing shared learning and practice changes and building a culture of collaboration.
3. DGT staff invited to participate in lessons learned discussions and join the KMPT Community of Practice for Liaison Psychiatry.
We have noted and welcomed a recent report from the Health Services Safety Investigation branch report: Patients at risk of self-harm: continuous observation and will work to implement the local learning they have identified to ensure staff have a shared understanding of the different roles and responsibilities of staff caring for patients.
Both of our Trusts would like to offer our sincere condolences to Sarah’s family for their loss. We hope that our actions assure you and Sarah’s family that we have reflected on your concerns and provided reassurance as to the changes made.
Thank you for the Regulations 28 Report to Prevent Future Deaths dated 4 March 2024, in relating to the inquest touching on the death of Sarah Keen. We have considered the report carefully and in communication with Sarah’s Mum and the supported living accommodation staff. The response provided has been written and agreed jointly between Dartford and Gravesham NHS Trust (DGT) and Kent and Medway NHS and Social Care Partnership Trust (KMPT).
We have reflected on the concerns set out within your report and have outline below the steps that have been taken to address each point.
1. The enhanced carer had not been told the reason that she was providing one to one care for Sarah.
Staff at DGT are required to give a full handover to the enhanced carer in line with the ‘Enhanced Carer’s Policy’, which states: “A thorough handover of the patients’ needs must be given by the nurse in charge of the ward. This must be documented within the patient’s daily plan of care. The nurse in charge must also clearly explain the roles and responsibilities expected of the bank or agency staff member”. Where we have not been able to reconcile differences in staff recollection of this information being shared, it was not documented in the patient’s daily care plan.
Action
Staff should record their handover to the enhanced care nurse to explain the risks to harm if they are not present.
Date: 24th May 2024
Patricia Harding Senior Coroner Mid Kent and Medway
Darent Valley Hospital Darenth Wood Road Dartford Kent DA2 8DA
If a member of staff is required to escort a patient to their place of residence, the receiving person is informed and a handover between nursing staff and residence staff occurs. A note of this handover will be recorded in the patient record when the member of staff returns to the ward.
2. The note left by the psychiatrist on the medical records did not contain any recommendations as to medication.
Whilst this is acknowledged by both Trusts, it is must be recognised it is not the sole responsibility of one clinician to share recommendations in regards to medication. There were missed opportunities by staff at DGT to gain an understanding of Sarah’s medication quantities and management in the community, either by discussing this with Sarah (there was no record of discussion), speaking with the staff from supported accommodation, who visited Sarah at the hospital, or by communicating with colleagues at KMPT.
DGT’s ‘Safe Issue of Discharge Prescriptions and Drugs (To Take Out - TTOs) Procedure’ states that: Minimum of 14 days’ supply for regular medicines (unless a specific course length has been prescribed). This gives the opportunity for the prescribing clinician to prescribe a ‘required amount’ rather than a standard amount of medication.
Action
Once admitted to the ward, staff should seek to understand if patients admitted following overdose have any remaining medication at home, and if so, what quantity. This can be actioned by both members of the pharmacy team, medical and ward staff If patients are living in supported or hostel accommodation, staff should make every effort to speak with supporting staff in relation to medication, and support available to the patient on discharge. This would preferably be done with the patient’s consent, but if the risk to self-harm is significant, must be considered without consent of the patient. The discharging clinician (both or either DGT and KMPT) should record if a reduced amount of medication should be prescribed because of risk of self-harm or overdose. The discharge notification should indicate that a reduced amount of medication has been prescribed and the reason for this recorded.
3. The note left by the psychiatrist on the medical records contained the abbreviation DSH.
Both organisations have acknowledged that abbreviations differ between Trusts and should be avoided, or spelled out in the first instance use, if it is to be used regularly through one record.
Action
1. A reminder to staff in both organisations has been circulated through Trust wide communications in regard to the use of abbreviations in patient records.
2. Consider monthly interface meeting with agenda to include potential risk spots, developing shared learning and practice changes and building a culture of collaboration.
3. DGT staff invited to participate in lessons learned discussions and join the KMPT Community of Practice for Liaison Psychiatry.
We have noted and welcomed a recent report from the Health Services Safety Investigation branch report: Patients at risk of self-harm: continuous observation and will work to implement the local learning they have identified to ensure staff have a shared understanding of the different roles and responsibilities of staff caring for patients.
Both of our Trusts would like to offer our sincere condolences to Sarah’s family for their loss. We hope that our actions assure you and Sarah’s family that we have reflected on your concerns and provided reassurance as to the changes made.
Report Sections
Investigation and Inquest
On 30th June 2023 I commenced an investigation into the death of Sarah Rhiannon Keen aged 32. The investigation concluded at the end of the inquest on 29th February 2024. The conclusion of the inquest was that Sarah Keen died as the result of an accident from the combined effect of ingesting fluoxetine and dihydrocodeine in the presence of cocaine.
Circumstances of the Death
Sarah Keen had spent much of her young life in secure hospitals following a diagnosis of emotionally unstable personality disorder. She was both a risk to herself and others on occasion. In 2022 she was transferred to the Medway mental health team and was moved into supported accommodation as it was clear that she was not deriving much benefit from long hospital admissions. She required assistance with most activities of daily living including managing her medications. On the 17th April 2023 she was arrested
. She was described as intoxicated and having taken a number of gabapentin tablets. She was conveyed to Darent Valley Hospital when she was de-arrested and admitted for medical treatment, it having been established that she was anaemic. She received a blood transfusion. Over the course of the admission she made multiple attempts to leave the hospital, on one occasion shouting that she was going to kill herself
. Sarah was seen by psychiatric liaison nurses on 18th April 2023 who determined the risk of self harm to be high and recommended that she be provided with 1:1 care. A deprivation of liberty order was put in place to ensure that she received medical treatment. On 19th April 2023 she was seen by a psychiatrist at which point she was discharged back to the community mental health team, an action plan with coping strategies full future trigger points was sent to her community team and a note was placed by the psychiatrist in the medical records to indicate the above but also that further DSH was likely-1 to 1 recommended. On the evening of 19th April 2023 Sarah was discharged from the hospital and returned to her supported accommodation accompanied by a member of the hospital’s enhanced care team who left at the point of her arriving at the address. She had been discharged with seven days of medication. The enhanced carer was carrying one of Sarah's bags which she gave to the support worker who answered the door. Sarah stayed up for much of the night and the following morning indicated to the support worker that she wanted to go to sleep and shouldn't be woken. She was checked at her medication times but left asleep at which time she was snoring. She was checked again in the evening and was found to have died. A post mortem examination determined the medical cause of death to be multi drug toxicity she having taken near fatal levels off fluoxetine and dihydrocodeine in the presence of cocaine.
. She was described as intoxicated and having taken a number of gabapentin tablets. She was conveyed to Darent Valley Hospital when she was de-arrested and admitted for medical treatment, it having been established that she was anaemic. She received a blood transfusion. Over the course of the admission she made multiple attempts to leave the hospital, on one occasion shouting that she was going to kill herself
. Sarah was seen by psychiatric liaison nurses on 18th April 2023 who determined the risk of self harm to be high and recommended that she be provided with 1:1 care. A deprivation of liberty order was put in place to ensure that she received medical treatment. On 19th April 2023 she was seen by a psychiatrist at which point she was discharged back to the community mental health team, an action plan with coping strategies full future trigger points was sent to her community team and a note was placed by the psychiatrist in the medical records to indicate the above but also that further DSH was likely-1 to 1 recommended. On the evening of 19th April 2023 Sarah was discharged from the hospital and returned to her supported accommodation accompanied by a member of the hospital’s enhanced care team who left at the point of her arriving at the address. She had been discharged with seven days of medication. The enhanced carer was carrying one of Sarah's bags which she gave to the support worker who answered the door. Sarah stayed up for much of the night and the following morning indicated to the support worker that she wanted to go to sleep and shouldn't be woken. She was checked at her medication times but left asleep at which time she was snoring. She was checked again in the evening and was found to have died. A post mortem examination determined the medical cause of death to be multi drug toxicity she having taken near fatal levels off fluoxetine and dihydrocodeine in the presence of cocaine.
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Data sourced from Courts and Tribunals Judiciary under the Open Government Licence.