Wiltshire and Swindon

Coroner Area
Reports: 57 Earliest: Sep 2013 Latest: 19 Nov 2025

68% response rate (above 63% average).

Clear 33 results
Christopher O’Donnell
All Responded
2025-0369 21 Jul 2025
Home Group Limited
Alcohol, drug and medication related deaths
Concerns summary (AI summary) The supported living accommodation's policy, which prohibits staff from removing excess medication for safeguarding without resident consent, creates a risk when residents are in mental health crisis.
Action Taken (AI summary) Home Group has introduced a virtual clinical hub, is reviewing and updating relevant policies, and is consulting with partner agencies on managing risks related to medication stockpiling. They have also focused on risk assessment management and plan to further review how the checklist sits as part of the wider support practice framework.
Peter Konitzer
All Responded
2025-0159 25 Mar 2025
Health and Safety Executive
Accident at Work and Health and Safety related deaths
Concerns summary (AI summary) HSE website guidance for volunteers is insufficient, failing to emphasize written risk assessments for construction work or provide a comprehensive guide on safety obligations for charitable and voluntary organizations.
Action Planned (AI summary) The HSE will work with their communications team to send out a copy of the Wilts & Berks Canal Trust prosecution press release in the main HSE ebulletin series and will consider the coroner's recommendations when they next review the volunteering pages of the guidance on their webpages.
Deborah Cooper
All Responded
2024-0395 18 Jul 2024
Department for Science, Innovation & Te…
Suicide (from 2015)
Concerns summary (AI summary) A book detailing suicide methods is freely available on Amazon UK, and existing legislative frameworks, including the Suicide Act and Online Safety Act, appear ineffective in preventing its marketing and supply.
Noted (AI summary) The Secretary of State acknowledges the coroner's concerns regarding the Online Safety Act and its application to potentially harmful content on platforms like Amazon, but states that enforcement is the responsibility of the police and CPS. The response also clarifies the remit of the Ministry of Justice regarding the Suicide Act 1961.
Richard Carpenter
All Responded
2024-0221 25 Apr 2024
Department of Health and Social Care
Hospital Death (Clinical Procedures and medical management) related deaths
Concerns summary (AI summary) Ambulance response targets are consistently missed due to chronic hospital handover delays and bed blocking caused by insufficient community care packages, increasing the risk of preventable deaths for patients requiring timely hospital transfer.
Action Taken (AI summary) The Department of Health and Social Care references NHS England's urgent and emergency care services recovery plan, additional funding for ambulance services and hospital beds, and investment in discharge processes, noting improvements in ambulance response times and handover delays.
Margaret Burman
All Responded
2024-0203 17 Apr 2024
Department of Health and Social Care NHS England
Hospital Death (Clinical Procedures and medical management) related deaths
Concerns summary (AI summary) Hospital wards lack adequate staffing for falls prevention, particularly for high-risk patients, exacerbated by bed blocking from medically stable patients awaiting community care, leading to an increased risk of falls.
Action Planned (AI summary) NHS England highlights existing national guidance on falls risk assessment and prevention, including NICE guidelines, and states that regional colleagues will engage with the Bath and North East Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire System to ensure local leadership is embedding national guidance and best practice. DHSC notes that NHS England is responding to the report and highlights NICE guidelines and Royal College of Physicians guidance on falls prevention. They mention actions taken by Salisbury NHS Foundation Trust since the death, including an improvement programme to reduce falls, additional activities for patients at risk, and improved assessments on admission.
Deborah Cooper
All Responded
2024-0199 26 Feb 2024
Amazon UK Department for Business and Trade Department for Culture, Media and Sport
Suicide (from 2015)
Concerns summary (AI summary) Books providing explicit instructions on methods for ending one's life are freely available on Amazon.co.uk. Concerns are raised about the marketing, supply, and lack of regulation for such publications.
Noted (AI summary) Amazon has reviewed the books against their content guidelines and decided not to remove them from sale, but displays a banner on the product page with information on how to access free and confidential advice from the Samaritans. The Department for Business and Trade acknowledges the concerns but states there is limited scope to address the issues through existing consumer protection legislation and refers to other legislation and departments. Due to the pre-election period, they cannot comment or commit to further actions.
Raymond Eggleton
All Responded
2023-0457 17 Nov 2023
Department of Health and Social Care Great Western Hospital
Hospital Death (Clinical Procedures and medical management) related deaths
Concerns summary (AI summary) Inadequate initial falls risk assessment and lack of dynamic staffing resilience, particularly during night shifts, led to insufficient supervision and preventable falls for vulnerable elderly patients in the hospital.
Noted (AI summary) The Trust has invested in safe staffing levels, achieving a 1:8 nurse to patient ratio, and reduced Health Care Support Worker vacancies. They have also reviewed falls investigations and implemented additional training on falls risk assessments and enhanced supervision procedures. The response expresses condolences and acknowledges concerns about staffing levels and falls risk assessments. It states that staffing is a local responsibility, highlights CQC regulations and NICE guidelines, and notes the local trust's response.
Michael Poulton
All Responded
2023-0057Deceased 13 Feb 2023
Wiltshire Police
Suicide (from 2015)
Concerns summary (AI summary) Individuals are being released from police custody far from home without adequate means for transport or communication, risking their safe return and welfare.
Action Taken (AI summary) Wiltshire Police implemented the Vulnerable Detainee Transportation Scheme, including the 'Ring B4 U Bring' scheme, to ensure safe return home for detainees. Details have been disseminated force-wide and training will be given to new Custody Sergeants.
Albert Manley
All Responded
2022-0161
Highways and Transport and Wiltshire Co…
Road (Highways Safety) related deaths
Concerns On the 7 June 2021 I accepted the transfer of an investigation into the death of Albert Thomas Stafford Manley who was known to his family as "Jim". I went on to open Jim's Inquest on the 14 June...
Action Planned (AI summary) Wiltshire Council will add 'SLOW' road markings to the Council’s road marking programme of works for the coming months. However, a review concluded that existing road sign arrangements are adequate, and no further amendments are proposed for signs.
Winifred (Mary) Redfearn
All Responded
2020-0132 25 Jun 2020
Great Western Hospital NHS Foundation T…
Hospital Death (Clinical Procedures and medical management) related deaths
Concerns summary (AI summary) A significant delay in resuming essential anticoagulation medication, solely attributed to a weekend, raises concerns that similar delays in other cases could result in preventable deaths.
Action Planned (AI summary) The hospital will provide training to staff on pre-alert calls for silver trauma cases by September 30, 2020, review the protocol for referrals to the Spinal Team via OARS (expected to take at least 3 months), and increase awareness of 'Dalteparin' guidelines. They also plan to share an internal investigation once completed.
Vhari Ingall and Mary Johnson
All Responded
2020-0084
South Western Ambulance Trust CQC National Customer Service Centre The Association of Ambulance Chief Exec…
Alcohol, drug and medication related deaths Emergency services related deaths (2019 onwards)
Concerns summary (AI summary) Paramedics are inappropriately applying Do Not Resuscitate documents to non-natural deaths, such as overdoses, leading to a failure to intervene appropriately and placing them in a difficult position.
Action Planned (AI summary) The CQC contacted South Western Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust for investigation reports and shared information from these cases with their national ambulance group. They also stated that a focus on cases involving apparent suicide in the presence of DNAR documents will be promoted for inclusion in future inspections of ambulance trusts. The Association of Ambulance Chief Executives (AACE), via NASMeD, has committed to reviewing and strengthening the JRCALC guidelines. This review will focus on the circumstances where resuscitation attempts should not be undertaken and the application of Do Not Resuscitate (DNACPR) forms, especially in cases of self-harm or overdose. South Western Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust has developed, launched, and disseminated a new Trust Guideline for DNACPR to its entire workforce. They have also strengthened communication links with mental health trusts and out-of-hours services, and plan to recruit a Senior Mental Health Practitioner to provide strategic leadership and develop further guidance and training. CQC is currently undertaking a thematic review of DNACPRs and will update its regulatory approaches, which may include strengthening how it regulates end-of-life care and DNAR/TEP forms. It will also share key learning and practice points from the inquest with inspectors. The Department commissioned the Care Quality Commission to review the use of DNACPRs, with the final report published in March 2021. The Department is committed to driving forward the implementation of the CQC's recommendations to address concerns.
Bradley Trevarthen
All Responded
2019-0207 29 Apr 2019
Department for Digital, Culture, Media …
Child Death (from 2015)
Concerns summary (AI summary) School friends were aware of the deceased's increasing suicidal ideation and methods explored online but failed to report it to adults, partly due to fear of device bans.
Action Planned (AI summary) The UK government published its Online Harms White Paper which sets out plans for legislation to make the UK the safest place in the world to be online, establishing a new statutory duty of care overseen by an independent regulator with powers to issue substantial fines. The government has convened a working group of social media and digital sector companies to explore what more they can do to help keep children safe online.
Aidan Ridley
All Responded
2019-0173 9 Apr 2019
Wiltshire Police
Emergency services related deaths (2019 onwards) Police related deaths Road (Highways Safety) related deaths
Concerns summary (AI summary) Inadequate police call handler training led to incorrect advice not to move a patient and failure to involve ambulance services, compounded by underutilization of a new 3-way call system.
Action Taken (AI summary) Wiltshire Police states that staff briefings have been sent out reminding 999 call handlers to use the three-way call process when needed. They also state that further revisions of the relevant Force procedure on managing calls have now taken place.
Alexandre Parr
All Responded
2019-0001 2 Jan 2019
Civil Aviation Authority
Service Personnel related deaths
Concerns summary (AI summary) The provided text is incomplete and does not detail any specific concerns regarding future deaths.
Action Taken (AI summary) The CAA now requires calendar periods for engine overhaul for low-utilisation aircraft, reinforced the replacement lifespan of the YAK-52 engine with a new MPD, and will revise Safety Notice 2018/005 to emphasize calendar lives for safety harnesses and provide guidance on harness assessments; however, the CAA concluded it would not be appropriate to request the manufacturer to specify a rate for the Fuel Primer Pump, but will include its use in emergencies for discussion at the next CAA led YAK & Nanchang ‘Continuing Airworthiness Forum’.
Nana Boateng
All Responded
2018-0281 13 Aug 2018
Wiltshire Council
Road (Highways Safety) related deaths
Concerns summary (AI summary) Significantly worn road markings and non-functional cat's eyes on a sharp bend create a hazard, potentially causing drivers to lose positional awareness and cross onto the opposite side of the highway.
Action Taken (AI summary) The council has arranged for relaying of the road markings on the bend, with work to be completed by the end of October.
Jeremy Marshall
All Responded
2017-0296 16 Oct 2017
Great Western Hospital NHS Trust
Hospital Death (Clinical Procedures and medical management) related deaths
Concerns summary (AI summary) Unrealistic expectations of junior doctors, delays in escalating care for deteriorating patients, and unclear responsibility for ensuring timely senior clinician contact were identified concerns.
Action Planned (AI summary) The Trust has updated the Root Cause Analysis investigation action plan and will implement electronic observations trust-wide by May 2018 with automatic escalation to doctors. The Royal College of Surgeons completed a review of Dr. Marshall's care; the Trust will review the report, consider recommendations, and develop an action plan.
Francis Langley
All Responded
2017-0240 4 Sep 2017
Great Western Hospitals NHS Trust
Hospital Death (Clinical Procedures and medical management) related deaths
Concerns summary (AI summary) Inconsistent and contradictory falls risk assessments, differing between hospital departments, failed to properly assess the patient's risk, leading to bed rails not being used despite immobility and involuntary movements.
Action Taken (AI summary) The Trust has implemented the nursing personalised care plan documentation used at GWH on Forest and Orchard wards (SWICC) from July 2017, which includes bed rails assessment, falls assessment and a care plan.
Nina Maggs
All Responded
2017-0216 20 Jul 2017
Department for Transport Swindon Borough Council
Road (Highways Safety) related deaths
Concerns summary (AI summary) The pedestrian crossing at the junction is unsafe due to a lack of signals, audible/vibrating assistance, and an insufficient all-red light phase, posing significant risk.
Action Planned (AI summary) The council will commence stakeholder consultation on 18th September 2017 regarding proposals to improve pedestrian safety at the junction. Provisional arrangements have been made to assign resources to progress with the design and potential delivery of a scheme. The Department for Transport, while noting a lack of evidence, will consider with trade associations how to encourage signage on left-hand drive vehicles to alert pedestrians to the risks.
Joyce Rumming
All Responded
2017-0182 6 Jun 2017
Great Western Hospitals NHS Trust
Hospital Death (Clinical Procedures and medical management) related deaths
Concerns summary (AI summary) Poor communication between software packages meant an allergic marker for Amoxicillin was missed, leading to the patient being administered a drug they were allergic to.
Action Planned (AI summary) The trust is working to improve the handover process with ambulance services, including plans for a new clinical note system including patient allergies. They are also exploring the IT infrastructure to improve information sharing and migrating the Emergency Department to the same server as the rest of the Trust.
William Marson
All Responded
2016-0394 2 Nov 2016
Avon Care Home Limited
Care Home Health related deaths
Concerns summary (AI summary) Staff were inadequately trained in ventilator use, unaware of the manual's location, and the provided extracts lacked crucial information for fault recognition and rectification.
Action Planned (AI summary) The care home outlines a process for managing residents requiring specialist equipment or interventions, including staff training, competency assessments, clear documentation, and reviews. This process will be communicated and implemented across all Avon Care Homes.
Miles Abel
All Responded
2016-wp25345 29 Jul 2016
Department of Health and Social Care Endless Street Surgery
Community health care and emergency services related deaths Suicide (from 2015)
Concerns summary (AI summary) The procedure for GPs to refer patients to the Community Mental Health Team lacked an audit trail to confirm faxes were sent, and follow-up phone calls were not always made.
2 responses from The Endless Street Doctors Surgery, Department of Health
George Punton
All Responded
2016-0250 1 Jul 2016
Highway and Transport Wiltshire Council
Road (Highways Safety) related deaths
Concerns summary (AI summary) No specific concerns are detailed in the provided text.
Action Planned (AI summary) A 20mph speed limit at Lockeridge is due to be completed by the end of 2016, including the provision of warning signs.
Tania Hristova
All Responded
2015-0392 28 Sep 2015
New Court Surgery
Community health care and emergency services related deaths
Concerns summary (AI summary) The patient received antidepressant medication for over five years without adequate review and was not offered additional psychological therapies such as counselling or CBT.
Action Taken (AI summary) The surgery has taken steps to ensure regular medication reviews are undertaken for patients on SSRIs and that patients are made aware of mental health support services, including raised awareness about medication review codes, a mailshot to patients, and updating the practice website.
Elizabeth Godwin
All Responded
2015-0233 19 Jun 2015
Avon and Wiltshire NHS Mental Health Pa… Royal United Hospitals Bath NHS Foundat… Wiltshire Council
Hospital Death (Clinical Procedures and medical management) related deaths
Concerns summary (AI summary) Critical issues exist in mental health care regarding incomplete information gathering for assessments, poor urgency monitoring, inadequate inter-agency communication, unclear care responsibilities, and a lack of audit trails for patient transfers.
Action Planned (AI summary) Royal United Hospitals Bath NHS Foundation Trust (RUH) has implemented additional resource for Mental Health Services and amended the Mental Health Assessment Matrix. All junior doctors, Emergency Nurse Practitioners and Nursing staff receive training in the use and application of the mental health matrix at induction. Wiltshire Council describes planned discussions between Wiltshire Council (WC) and AWP to be held to clarify roles and responsibilities and ensure that a process is followed. Avon and Wiltshire NHS Trust highlights that the Trust Care Programme Approach, (CPA), and Risk Policy outlines that staff will involve families and carers in the CPA process including assessment of risk. The Trust CPA and Risk Training highlights the need for staff to include the views of service users and carers in undertaking any assessment.
Martyn Horton, David Ramsden, Douglas Halliday and Alexander Isaac
All Responded
2015-0164 28 Apr 2015
Ministry of Defence
Service Personnel related deaths
Concerns summary (AI summary) The Ridgeback vehicle, introduced for operational service, has unspecified "suspension issues" that raise concerns for safety.
Action Planned (AI summary) The Ministry of Defence is conducting a review of the vehicle suspension system, including data analysis and investigation into alternative bolts. They are also addressing the Vehicle Emergency Lighting System (VELS) modification, aiming for completion by the end of 2016.