Tracey Bannister

PFD Report All Responded Ref: 2014-0506
Date of Report 21 November 2014
Coroner Zafar Siddique
Coroner Area Black Country
Response Deadline ✓ from report 15 January 2015
All 1 response received · Deadline: 15 Jan 2015
Coroner's Concerns (AI summary)
Patients discharged after ERCP surgery were not adequately advised to contact the surgical department directly for persistent symptoms, leading to delayed critical care.
View full coroner's concerns
There are well documented and recognised risks of ERCP surgery. These include:

 Inflammation of the pancreas (pancreatitis) 2-4%  Infection in the bile duct (cholangitis). This is usually treated with antibiotics, but occasionally can be serious.  A hole may be made in the bowel (perforation) and if this happens surgery may be necessary.  Bleeding may result from the ECRP, which will usually stop quickly by itself. In severe cases, a blood transfusion or operation may be needed to control the bleeding.

My concern is that patients should be advised not only to contact their GP but also the department where surgery had been performed if symptoms of pain, raised temperature continue for more than 24 hours. In this case medical evidence suggested that had she attended Hospital twenty four hours earlier then the outcome may have been different.

Therefore, you may consider that the information and advice given to patients on discharge may need to be altered to take into account the lessons learnt from this inquest.
Responses
Walsall Healthcare NHS Trust NHS / Health Body
14 Jan 2015
Action Taken
Walsall Healthcare NHS Trust revised the ERCP discharge leaflet to include clear instructions for patients to contact the department where surgery was performed if symptoms of pain or raised temperature continue for more than 24 hours. The revised leaflet has been approved by the Endoscopy Steering Group, shared with all staff, and is now in use. (AI summary)
View full response
Dear Mr Siddique Re: Tracey Bannister deceased Date of Birth: 16 th August 1984 Date of Death: 26 th June 2014 Date of Inquest: 20 th November 2014 I am writing in response to your 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 fully accept that although the inquest verdict on Ms Bannister’s death was natural causes, the circumstance of inadequate discharge information gives nse to the potential for an ongoing risk to future patients. I would like to take the opportunity to assure you that as an organisation. we have formal processes for investigating serious incidents. We have taken this case senously and have conducted a full review. To this end, a Root Cause Analysis was completed which included a review of the systems in place for maintaining safety at the time The learning from both the Inquest and the internal investigation will be shared with staff across the organ isation. Summary of Incident Ms Banrister underwe a repeat elechve E9doscomc Retrograde CholargioPancreatogranhy ERCP) o the 24 Ju e 2014 o ornove a stent Sre c r sented to the rocedure and the o d s 4 ent was removed There were s me agrrents of stone and debNs our.d whic came cut wit th ste enca S we casre eo 0’ toe roe’ arcc i0erc 0e cbee ahoos ;-re. eo’ed .‘t 02 BC ep’rtors D2 aturcrs ‘e ooqca ‘atus and ‘ar eve here a ser ed Tcsevat ‘s tore o k v s r i ver tr ta paarec sa M Ba ret ‘a ‘jLeeucn’Iv c argod / rc wu p . e as o aade to de:vh’ 0’e ma,agemnr off any ern’arts ga cioae, end cTnes C 3 eeos znm At t e tir e o the i de t o B doscopy t sed a d sc arge for at r af e ic M Barr s e was given The eaflet expianed f she contued to fee unwefl or syn’ntons of pain Norsened ther, she should contact her GP n the first nstarce r r’ v’ .I’i Bke tc ar’’ L ca . r’ r,.

Shortly after arrival Ms Bannister went into cardiac arrest, however resuscitation was unsuccessful and she was pronounced deceased at 1O.22hrs Coroners Concerns During the course of the inquest the evidence revealed matters giving rise to concern. In the Coroner’s opinion there is a risk that future deaths will occur unless action is taken. The MATTERS OF CONCERN are as follows,
- There are well documented and recognised risks of ERCP surgery. These include: 1 Inflammation of the pancreas (pancreatitis) 2-4%
2. Infection in the bile duct (cholangitis). This is usually treated with antibiotics, but occasionally can be serious.
3. A hole may be made in the bowel (perforation) and if this happens surgery may be necessary.
4. Bleeding may result from the ECRP. which will usually stop quickly by itself. In severe cases, a blood transfusion or operation may be needed to control the bleeding. The Coroners concern is that patients should be advised not only to contact their GP but also the department where surgery had been performed if symptoms of pain, raised temperature continue for more than 24 hours. In this case medical evidence suggested that had she attended Hospital twenty four hours earlier then the outcome may have been different. Action Taken A Root Cause Analysis was undertaken following Ms Bannister’s death and action was taken with regard to record keeping and observation of patients. Additionally, a review of the discharge information leaflet was undertaken; however we fully acknowledge that the review did not adequately address the risks that have been identified during the inquest. We have therefore revised the leaflet to include clear instruction to patients in line with the Coroner’s recommendations. The leaflet has been approved by the Endoscopy Steering Group. shared with all staff and is now in use. The leaflet is enclosed. Finally, may we take this opportunity to offer our unreserved apologies to Ms Bannister’s family for the inadequate discharge information provided to Ms Bannister following the ERCP procedure, along with our sincere condolences for their lOSS.
Sent To
  • Walsall Healthcare NHS Trust
Response Status
Linked responses 1 of 1
56-Day Deadline 15 Jan 2015
All responses received
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Source: Courts and Tribunals Judiciary

Report Sections
Investigation and Inquest
On 30 June 2014, I commenced an investigation into the death of Tracey Bannister. The investigation concluded at the end of the inquest on 20 November 2014. The conclusion of the inquest was the deceased died on the 26 June 2014 from 1a. Sepsis due to 1b) Fulminant hepatic failure due to 1c) Biliary obstruction and 2) Obesity. I recorded a conclusion of Natural causes.
Circumstances of the Death
1. Tracey Bannister was a 29 year woman with a medical history of gall stones and right upper quadrant pain.

2. She had Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangio-Pancreatography surgery (ERCP procedure) on a number of occasions to remove the gall stones during 2013 and 2014.

3. She returned for repeat elective ERCP on the 24 June 2014 to remove a stent. She consented to the procedure and the old stent was removed. There were some fragments of stone and debris found which came out with the stent removal. She was then transferred to the recovery area and subsequently discharged. A further follow up appointment was then made to deal with the management of any remnants of gall bladder and stones in two weeks time.

4. She was given a discharge leaflet which explained if she continued to feel unwell or symptoms of pain worsened then she should contact her GP in the first instance.

5. When she arrived home she complained of feeling unwell and stayed in bed. On the morning of the 26 June she continued to feel unwell and then telephoned for an ambulance. She was taken to the A and E department and arrived at 9.16am at Manor Hospital. She appeared cyanosed with low blood pressure and BM 1.2mmol.

6. Blood gases revealed she was acidotic and she deteriorated and arrested. She suffered a cardiac arrest and was declared deceased at 10:22 hours.

[IL1: PROTECT] [IL1: PROTECT]
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Data sourced from Courts and Tribunals Judiciary under the Open Government Licence.