Carol Robinson

PFD Report All Responded Ref: 2023-0111Deceased
Date of Report 30 March 2023
Coroner Nadia Persaud
Coroner Area East London
Response Deadline ✓ from report 25 May 2023
All 1 response received · Deadline: 25 May 2023
Coroner's Concerns (AI summary)
The patient was discharged from the Home Treatment Team without a medical review, comprehensive risk assessment, multi-disciplinary discussion, or communication with external agencies and family.
View full coroner's concerns
1. Mrs Robinson did not receive a medical review by a doctor within the Home Treatment Team prior to her discharge back to the care of her GP on the 25th April 2022.

2. Mrs Robinson did not receive a comprehensive risk assessment prior to her discharge from the Home Treatment Team on the 25th April 2022.

3. There was no multi-disciplinary team discussion to ensure a safe community plan following discharge from the Home Treatment Team. There was no communication with regard to the withdrawal of the Home Treatment Team’s input, with the domiciliary care agency or family of Mrs Robinson.
Responses
North East London NHS Foundation Trust NHS / Health Body
3 May 2023
Action Planned
The Trust has attached a detailed action plan to address concerns raised about a patient's discharge from the Home Treatment Team, including a lack of medical review, comprehensive risk assessment, and multi-disciplinary team discussion. (AI summary)
View full response
Dear Madam

Re: Inquest touching upon the death of Carol ROBINSON

I refer to your letter dated 30 March 2023 and the enclosed Regulation 28 report, issued in respect of your concerns regarding the risk of future deaths.

Concerns

At the conclusion of the hearing into the death of Carol Robinson, you expressed concern regarding the following matters:

1. Mrs Robinson did not receive a medical review by a doctor within the Home Treatment Team prior to her discharge back to the care of her GP on the 25th April 2022.

2. Mrs Robinson did not receive a comprehensive risk assessment prior to her discharge from the Home Treatment Team on the 25th April 2022.

3. There was no multi-disciplinary team discussion to ensure a safe community plan following discharge from the Home Treatment Team. There was no communication with regard to the withdrawal of the Home Treatment Team’s input, with the domiciliary care agency or family of Mrs Robinson.

We have carefully considered your Regulation 28 report and by way of response, we attach a detailed action plan addressing the concerns raised by you.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for raising your concerns as part of this inquest. We find learning from inquests extremely valuable and are very grateful for your comprehensive investigation, which benefits not only the families of the deceased, but also the Trust and its service users.

I trust that the attached action plan reassures you that the Trust has taken this tragic death very seriously indeed, and that it reflects our commitment to improve care quality and patient safety.

If I can further assist, please do contact my office .
Sent To
  • North East London Foundation Trust
Response Status
Linked responses 1 of 1
56-Day Deadline 25 May 2023
All responses received
About PFD responses

Organisations named in PFD reports must respond within 56 days explaining what actions they are taking.

Source: Courts and Tribunals Judiciary

Report Sections
Investigation and Inquest
On the 19th May 2022 I commenced an investigation into the death of Carol Ann Robinson age 70 years. The investigation concluded at the end of the inquest on 22nd March 2023. The conclusion of the inquest a narrative conclusion:

“Mrs Robinson died as a result of an overdose of medication. The evidence does not reveal her intention at the time of taking the overdose.”
Circumstances of the Death
On the 7 May 2022, Carol Robinson called a family member to report that she had taken an overdose of medication (quantity and identity of medication unknown). The family member called the emergency services and ambulance service personnel attended. The first response paramedic tried to elicit the history, but was unable to determine from Mrs Robinson what medication had been taken. There was a delay in conveying Mrs Robinson to hospital, in the order of around 50 minutes, but there is no evidence that this delay contributed to her death. Mrs Robinson was taken to Queen's Hospital where a diagnosis of mixed drug toxicity, on the background of severe co-morbidities, was made. She was provided with intensive care. Sadly she did not recover and she passed away at Queen's Hospital on the 8 May 2022. By way of background, Mrs Robinson had taken an overdose in March 2022 and had received care from the mental health home treatment team. On the 25 April 2022 she was discharged back to the care of the general practitioner. She was not assessed by a doctor in the home treatment team before her discharge and she did not receive a comprehensive risk assessment in the days leading up to her discharge. Whilst such assessments and reviews should have taken place, it is not possible to conclude that they would have prevented her death. It is noted that there were no documented concerns about her mental health between the 26 April and the 6 May 2022.
Related Inquiry Recommendations

Public inquiry recommendations addressing similar themes

Separate SIO and Family Liaison Officer roles
Daniel Morgan Panel
Emergency family notification
GP Notification of Death Circumstances
Hyponatraemia Inquiry
Emergency family notification
Service change continuity plans
Vale of Leven Inquiry
Care and discharge planning
Candour about harm
Mid Staffs Inquiry
Emergency family notification
Continuing responsibility for care
Mid Staffs Inquiry
Care and discharge planning
Follow up of patients
Mid Staffs Inquiry
Care and discharge planning
Death in Custody Checklist
Baha Mousa Inquiry
Emergency family notification

Data sourced from Courts and Tribunals Judiciary under the Open Government Licence.