David Pooley

PFD Report Partially Responded Ref: 2015-0421
Date of Report 3 November 2015
Coroner Caroline Beasley-Murray
Coroner Area Essex
Response Deadline ✓ from report 15 January 2016
Coroner's Concerns (AI summary)
A named nurse was not allocated until the day before death, breaching trust policy and resulting in a failure to carry out essential risk assessments and care plans.
View full coroner's concerns
1. Contrary to the trust’s policy, there was no named nurse allocated until the day before Mr Pooley’s death. The role of the named nurse had not therefore been carried out – this entails the devising of a risk assessment, care plans, one to ones, contact with the patient’s family etc.
2. The appropriate assessments and reviews were therefore not carried out. 2
Responses
Lancashire Care NHS Trust NHS / Health Body
30 Nov 2015
Action Planned
• All staff have been briefed on the referral process, and learning from the joint investigation has been shared. • The Trust is exploring using the CRISP board in the Emergency Department to record referrals to specialist teams. • The Trust is exploring the development of a system whereby East Lancashire Hospital NHS Trust staff email the Mental Health Liaison Team with the patient's details and a brief. (AI summary)
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Dear Mr. Singleton, Jacqueline Williams (deceased) ~ Regulation 28 report to prevent future deaths The Trust acknowledges receipt of your letter dated 2 November 2015 In the regulation 28 report you raise the following concerns: The process of referral to the Mental Health Liaison Team is subject to human error 2 The referral process does provide opportunity for staff in the emergency department to see conformation that a referral has been accepted and when can expect an assessment to take place 3 The Mental Health Liaison Team do not have a process to identify patients that the staff in the emergency department believe they have referred for assessment: Following this incident we undertook joint investigation with East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust: This resulted in the development of an action plan t0 implement measures to improve safety and prevent such tragic event from recurring: We continue to implement this action plan and work closely with East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust and the commissioning groups for East Lancashire and Blackburn with Darwen; Below are details of the actions that have been taken to date and those that are planned that address the concerns of your regulation 28 report: In the immediate term, we have briefed all staff on the referral process to ensure fully understand that process and shared the learning from our joint investigation_ We have also met with East Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust to explore in detail how we can improve the referral process upporting Health and Wellbeing 01548449 ch )r Mdckim: MINDFUL EMPLOYER Way they they Lou, 0 JFl( 8

Lancashire Care [NHS] NHS Foundation Trust Within the Emergency Department they use the CRISP board to record the referrals made to specialists teams and we are looking to utilise this technology: A further option we are exploring is the development of a system whereby East Lancashire Hospital NHS Trust staff email the Mental Health Liaison Team wilh the patient's details and a brief reason for referral: The Mental Health Liaison Team would then acknowledge receipt of the email and also give approximate time of assessment: The referral information is already recorded within the Mental Health Liaison referral log book, however this approach we are looking to implement will ensure that positive confirmation is provided to Emergency Department staff. hope this addresses your concems and wish to assure you that we are keen to implement systems to prevent similar incidents in the future_ Should you require any further information the Trust will be more than to assist:
Sent To
  • South Essex Mental Health Partnership Trust
  • Lancashire Care NHS Trust
Response Status
Linked responses 1 of 2
56-Day Deadline 15 Jan 2016
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 21st May 2015 I commenced an investigation into the death of David John Pooley. The investigation concluded at the end of the inquest on 30th October 2015. The cause of death was 1a) Hanging. The conclusion of the inquest was a Narrative Conclusion;- David Pooley killed himself whilst suffering from depression. David John Pooley’s risk of self harm/suicide was not properly and adequately assessed and reviewed.
Circumstances of the Death
Mr Pooley who was 66 years old, was admitted to Basildon Hospital on the 5th May 2015 following an attempt to hang himself in his own home. He spent time in the Mental Health Assessment Unit and he was then transferred to Gloucester Ward. He was found hanging in the toilet on the ward and his death was confirmed at 6:38am on the 20th May 2015.
Related Inquiry Recommendations

Public inquiry recommendations addressing similar themes

GMMH local structured risk assessment responsibility
Southport Inquiry
Conflicting mental health care plans

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