2020
PFD Reports
Reports: 309
Areas: 57
83% response rate (above 63% average).
Samuel Morgan
All Responded
2020-0276
9 Dec 2020
Swansea and Neath Port Talbot
Department of Health and Social Care
Medicines and Healthcare products Regul…
Concerns summary (AI summary)
Patient information leaflets for SSRIs lack immediate, high-impact warnings, such as a "Black Box Warning," to clearly highlight the increased risk of suicidal thinking in young adults.
Noted
(AI summary)
The Department of Health and Social Care acknowledges concerns about the presentation of risks associated with citalopram and lack of a follow-up appointment, but does not commit to specific changes beyond noting existing guidance and MHRA's monitoring. The MHRA acknowledges the concerns, highlights existing warnings about suicide risk with SSRIs, and states that the information has been used to generate a Yellow Card report for continuous monitoring, but does not commit to specific changes.
Ann Stillwell
All Responded
2021-0091
8 Dec 2020
East London
Department of Health and Social Care
Havering Clinical Commissioning Group
Concerns summary (AI summary)
The Commissioner failed to authorise essential 1:1 care for a patient at high risk of falls, despite it being the only identified method to mitigate her specific risks.
Noted
(AI summary)
The Clinical Commissioning Group has already introduced changes to the process of requesting 1-to-1 care by care providers in November 2020, including routing requests to a senior nurse assessor for a response within 2 hours and requiring further evidence for extensions. They are also adding a safeguard to ensure that requests for 1 to 1s are submitted to the brokerage team and are escalated to a senior clinician, to be built into their electronic systems by the end of February 2021. The Department of Health and Social Care acknowledges the concerns raised and states that the CCGs are responsible for commissioning 1:1 care and have provided a response detailing actions taken. The Department will work with NHS England to consider the circumstances of the case but does not consider a change in national policy is required.
Ronald Tilley
All Responded
2020-0278
4 Dec 2020
North East Kent
NHS Digital
Concerns summary (AI summary)
Lack of notification to existing GPs when patient demographic information is updated risks critical communication breakdowns and outdated patient records.
Action Planned
(AI summary)
NHS Digital will bring the circumstances surrounding the death to the attention of a programme that is rationalising and streamlining the systems and data flows in the management of primary care registration. This is so that improvements may be considered through appropriate consultation with system users and stakeholders.
Roy Curtis
All Responded
2020-0272
4 Dec 2020
Milton Keynes
Milton Keynes Council and Social Servic…
Concerns summary (AI summary)
Overly bureaucratic procedures for urgent adult social care assessments fail to provide necessary priority, delaying critical support for vulnerable individuals.
Action Taken
(AI summary)
Milton Keynes Council has employed a link social worker to work with the acute mental health hospital ward to coordinate social care assessments before discharge. They have also reviewed Autism training to include awareness of suicidality and risks, and will make home visits if contact is not made by phone, letter or email, escalating to the police for welfare checks if necessary.
William Israel
All Responded
2020-0271
3 Dec 2020
North East Kent
London and South Eastern Railway
Concerns summary (AI summary)
Public misunderstanding of live rail dangers is exacerbated by inadequate, outdated, and poorly placed warning signage, alongside inconsistent station security measures when unstaffed.
Action Planned
(AI summary)
Southeastern will replace warning signs at Canterbury East station, engage with a local nightclub to educate patrons about railway safety, review risk assessments for the station, and share findings with the wider railway community. Most actions are planned for completion by March/June 2021. Southeastern replaced warning signs at Canterbury East station with a new design. They also provided Chemistry Night Club with posters and drinks mats highlighting railway safety messages, reviewed risk assessments, and shared learning with the wider industry.
Andrew Westlake
All Responded
2020-0268
3 Dec 2020
County Durham and Darlington
Jet2.com Ltd and Civil Aviation Authori…
Concerns summary (AI summary)
Airline staff lacked policy and training for identifying and safeguarding mentally unwell, vulnerable passengers, leading to disembarkation without support in a foreign country.
Action Planned
(AI summary)
Jet2.com has updated its Ground Handling Manual to include procedures for supporting vulnerable passengers, including contacting family/friends, embassies, or other services. Training will be updated using the case as a study, and the CAA has approved the amended procedures. The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) will explore how to define vulnerable consumers, propose improvements to their treatment in the UK aviation industry, and increase engagement with industry. The CAA Executive will receive a report in Q1 2021 and review progress regularly.
Holly Chevassut
All Responded
2020-0303
2 Dec 2020
Coventry and Warwickshire
GRS Recovery
Concerns summary (AI summary)
Certain vehicle configurations, with low-height, protruding mirrors and guards, create a risk of serious injury or death to people overtaken by these vehicles.
Action Taken
(AI summary)
GRS Recovery has removed the offending mirrors, and rotated the remaining mirrors to reduce the width of the vehicles.
Brandon-Robert Collins-Hayward
All Responded
2021-0088
1 Dec 2020
Dorset
Royal College of Obstetricians and Gyna…
Concerns summary (AI summary)
Absence of national guidance for postnatal home visits to include basic newborn observations and for medical assessment of babies when mothers are admitted with potential sepsis creates future death risks.
Action Planned
(AI summary)
NICE guidelines on postnatal care and neonatal infection were being updated to address concerns about monitoring mothers/babies after discharge and assessing babies when mothers are admitted with infection. The Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health will continue to advocate for adequate resources in child health. NICE updated its guidance for postnatal care (NG194) to include a recommendation addressing the assessment of the baby where the mother has symptoms or signs of sepsis. The scope of its updated guidance for Neonatal infection (NG195) also covers late neonatal infection.
Peter Unsworth
All Responded
2020-0267
1 Dec 2020
Surrey
NHS Improvement, Royal College of Physi…
Concerns summary (AI summary)
Critical consultant advice on a complex medical situation was neither recorded in writing nor confirmed, risking misunderstandings between medical teams.
Action Planned
(AI summary)
The Trust has reiterated the need to document verbal advice and information, continues to audit medical records, and has embedded documentation of specialist advice in the curriculum for Junior Doctors. The Trust is introducing Electronic Patient Records in December 2021. The GMC will consider the information provided and determine whether any further action is required either through their Outreach or fitness to practise process. Ashford and St. Peters Hospitals emphasizes documentation of specialist advice in training for junior doctors and at Trust events. They will further strengthen documentation by introducing Electronic Patient Records in December 2021. The GMC has opened a provisional enquiry into the actions of one doctor and will obtain clinical records and an independent clinical opinion. No further action will be taken regarding the other doctor. The RCS will consider the coroner's concerns in its 2021 programme of standards and good practice guidance review and development, and shared the correspondence with the British Orthopaedic Association. The BOA will set up a short life working group with haematology colleagues to explore producing guidance on managing complex cases regarding thromboembolism prevention. The RCP has highlighted the need for standards to confirm the accuracy of verbally given advice as a member of PRSB and proposed standards for remote advice documentation based on COVID-19 pandemic learnings. The RCP continues to advocate for integrated electronic record systems.
Anthony Slack
All Responded
2020-0264
1 Dec 2020
Greater Manchester South
Care Quality Commission, Vicarage Resid…
Concerns summary (AI summary)
The care home suffered from poor documentation and observation quality, unclear Covid-19 infection control (no admission risk assessment), and staff confusion over PPE. Ambulance delays also impacted patient transfer.
Noted
(AI summary)
NHS England liaised with the North West Ambulance Service (NWAS) who have since extended their cleaning service to sixteen Emergency Departments across the North West, including Tameside Hospital, to improve ambulance turnaround times. PHE acknowledges the coroner's report and outlines its national activities coordinating the response to COVID-19 in adult social care settings, including surveillance, guidance development, and stakeholder engagement. It states that other concerns raised are outside of PHE's remit and defers to other organisations. CQC reviewed systems at The Vicarage Residential Care Home and is assured that the provider has taken action to improve and further reduce risks, which will be reviewed at the next inspection. They also remained in regular contact with the Provider during the Covid 19 pandemic to ensure awareness of guidance and signpost support. Greater Manchester Health and Social Care Partnership will present learning to the Greater Manchester Quality Board. They have established an Infection Prevention and Control Care Home Cell, are running monthly webinars for care homes, and have invited local stakeholders to share learning at a quality improvement meeting. The Vicarage Care Home has provided documentation training to staff, updated the documentation and recording policy, reissued relevant documentation pro formas, and updated the protocol regarding waiting times for emergency services. They have also reviewed wifi capacity.
Violet Jackman
All Responded
2020-0263
1 Dec 2020
Greater Manchester South
Department of Health and Social Care
Concerns summary (AI summary)
Safe sleeping advice was inadequately communicated to both parents, and reduced health visitor services during the pandemic further compromised support for new parents.
Noted
(AI summary)
The DHSC outlines existing guidance, training and resources related to safe sleeping for infants, including collaboration with Public Health England and the Lullaby Trust. It also notes advice given to local authorities during the pandemic regarding prioritizing health visitor services and awaits a report from the Early Years Health Advisor.
Ibrahima Yahaia
All Responded
2020-0262
1 Dec 2020
Bedfordshire and Luton
Luton Borough Council
Concerns summary (AI summary)
The Busway has significant design flaws with numerous accessible pedestrian entry points, insufficient warning signage, and a lack of physical barriers, leading to repeated severe incidents.
Action Taken
(AI summary)
Luton Council is completing an updated Memorandum of Understanding with the police in relation to operations, traffic regulation and investigation of incidents, and have included the Health & Safety Executive in the process of reviewing safety measures. Any faded or missing signs on the Hatters Way section of the busway have been replaced, and the rest of the Busway is being reviewed for upgrading of signage.
Lee Elliott
All Responded
2020-0265
26 Nov 2020
County of Cumbria
Department of Health and Social Care
Concerns summary (AI summary)
Toxic substances are easily and cheaply obtainable online without safeguards, and are advocated on websites as a method for suicide, leading to multiple deaths.
Noted
(AI summary)
The Department acknowledges concerns about the availability of suicide methods online and outlines actions to reduce suicide rates through the Suicide Prevention Strategy for England, including reducing access to the means of suicide and working with online retailers of harmful substances.
Neville Bardoliwalla
All Responded
2020-0258
26 Nov 2020
North London
Department of Health and Social Care
Concerns summary (AI summary)
A lack of a process for collecting and disposing of prescribed controlled medication allowed for its accumulation, posing a significant risk.
Noted
(AI summary)
The Department acknowledges the concerns about the disposal of controlled drugs, outlines existing NHS services for safe disposal of unwanted medicines via community pharmacies, and describes initiatives to reduce waste medicines in the first place.
John Jennings
All Responded
2020-0257
26 Nov 2020
North London
Ministry for Housing and Local Governme…
Concerns summary (AI summary)
Critical fire safety standards (Code of Practice and British Standard 5839 LD1 Maximum Protection) are not statutory requirements, which may compromise safety.
Action Planned
(AI summary)
The department will raise the concern that the statutory minimum provision of smoke alarms is less than the maximum offered in British Standard 5839 with the relevant committee at the British Standards Institute for consideration, as part of a full technical review of the standards that support building regulations.
Eleanor Sherman
All Responded
2020-0254
26 Nov 2020
Warwickshire
Warwick Hospital
Concerns summary (AI summary)
There were two misdiagnoses at Warwick Hospital despite the GP's instructions, compounded by systemic errors related to accessing electronic records.
Action Taken
(AI summary)
The Trust convened a Working Group to review the case, completed outstanding actions from the Root Cause Analysis (RCA) Investigation, and disseminated the revised Acute Headache Pathway Trust-wide.
Trinder Birdi
All Responded
2020-0252
25 Nov 2020
East London
North East London Foundation Trust
Concerns summary (AI summary)
A psychiatric liaison nurse downgraded a patient's high suicide risk without consulting the referring GP or obtaining a second opinion, highlighting a critical lack of safeguards in risk assessment.
Action Planned
(AI summary)
The Trust will introduce a referral requirement for on-call psychiatrists in specific risk scenarios, amend assessment templates to include consideration of family concerns, implement monthly supervisions for bank staff, introduce regular learning sessions from serious incidents, and review advanced clinical risk training with relevant case scenarios.
David Ball
All Responded
2020-0251
24 Nov 2020
Derby and Derbyshire
NHS Digital
NHS England
Concerns summary (AI summary)
Different healthcare departments using incompatible patient care records and lacking inter-departmental communication led to reliance on "professional curiosity" for crucial patient information.
Noted
(AI summary)
NHS England has reviewed Mr Ball’s care and identified actions, including; sharing lessons from deaths through a Midlands Learning from Deaths Forum, which will consider system improvements complimentary to the move to a Shared Care Record, which is not likely to be completed until 2024. NHS Digital explains their role in providing the Summary Care Record (SCR), confirms that Mr. Ball's record was checked and no anomalies were found, and notes that the discharge care plan is not the kind of information held within the SCR. They also note that there are initiatives to introduce systems that enable patient records to be shared and accessible between all health and care providers in a locality.
Elena Wells
All Responded
2020-0248
23 Nov 2020
Brighton and Hove
Brighton and Hove City Council
Sussex Partnership Foundation NHS Trust
Concerns summary (AI summary)
Mental health crisis management failures included delayed bed availability, insufficient overnight support, confusion over professional responsibility, and a lack of in-person checks when the patient's condition worsened.
Action Planned
(AI summary)
The Trust and BHCC are developing a joint policy and guidance to improve communication and define responsibility between the organisations to improve the safety of voluntary patients waiting for acute mental health beds. Actions include reviewing existing policies and protocols, implementing new documentation procedures, and providing staff training, to be completed by April 2021.
Jason Thompson
All Responded
2020-0246
20 Nov 2020
County Durham and Darlington
Department of Health and Social Care
eBay UK Ltd
Metalchem Ltd
Concerns summary (AI summary)
A website may be illegally promoting suicide methods, and a lethal substance is too easily available online under a misleading description, posing significant public safety risks.
Action Taken
(AI summary)
Metalchem Ltd stopped selling Sodium Nitrite on eBay in April 2020 after becoming aware of its recommendation on suicide forums. They contacted other sellers to request they stop selling the product online and enlisted help to remove persistent sellers on Ebay and Etsy. Ebay banned the sale of sodium nitrite as a chemical globally in 2019 and updated filters to prevent listings, after a report of potential misuse for suicide attempts. They analyzed the listing from which the deceased purchased the chemical to improve filter algorithms. The Department of Health and Social Care highlights existing actions to reduce suicide rates, including the Suicide Prevention Strategy for England and the Cross-Government Suicide Prevention Workplan, which addresses harmful online content. They are working with online retailers to raise awareness of the potential for suicide and investing in suicide prevention through the NHS Long Term Plan.
Yo Li
All Responded
2020-0245
19 Nov 2020
Surrey
British Association of Perinatal Medici…
NHS England
Concerns summary (AI summary)
National guidance for central venous catheters in neonates lacks a key risk factor, and there's no mandatory requirement for NHS Trusts to ensure clinician familiarity or policy compliance with existing guidelines.
Disputed
(AI summary)
The BAPM acknowledges the coroner's concerns but argues that their existing Framework for Practice (FfP) for the use of Central Venous Catheters in Neonates already addresses the issues. They contend that a requirement for NHS Trusts to ensure clinicians are familiar with the FfP is unnecessary. NICE acknowledges the concerns but states that BAPM guidance should cover UVC insertion and risks, and that the GMC requires clinicians to be aware of relevant specialty guidance. They have logged the concerns for consideration when guideline NG154 is next reviewed.
Katherine Hogan
All Responded
2020-0243
18 Nov 2020
Mid Kent and Medway
Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Found…
Concerns summary (AI summary)
Persistent staff shortages led to patients being kept overnight in unsuitable clinical areas, with the Trust failing to address reported staffing issues or implement requested increases.
Action Taken
(AI summary)
The Trust has implemented several changes including increased monitoring of patients in the clinical decision unit (CDU), revised admission criteria for the CDU, reassessed safe staffing levels, increased senior nursing support, and is using RCEM/GIRFT recommendations for staffing. It has also re-opened the serious incident investigation and is creating a revised action plan.
Alfie Gildea
All Responded
2020-0242
18 Nov 2020
Greater Manchester South
Greater Manchester Police, Trafford Met…
Concerns summary (AI summary)
Suspects in domestic abuse cases were not placed on bail with conditions to protect alleged victims and there was a lack of understanding amongst police witnesses about the GMP policy in relation to serial/serious DA perpetrators and the actions that were required under GMPs policy.
Noted
(AI summary)
Greater Manchester Police has conducted a review into the triage process of district safeguarding teams, is developing a triage training course including guidance on information sharing, and has recruited a Domestic Abuse Coordinator to ensure a consistent approach to MARACs across the force. Trafford Council states it has already made significant improvements to policies and procedures since 2018 and believes the coroner's concerns are directed to central government. Greater Manchester Health and Social Care Partnership will present learning from the Serious Case Review to the Greater Manchester Quality Board and share it with commissioners of services for consideration. The CPS acknowledges differences in the definitions of a serial domestic abuser and explains the role of the prosecutor in relation to reasonable lines of enquiry. The Dept. of Health and Social Care notes the concerns raised, mentions a Serious Case Review and review of its action plan, and states that local authorities are responsible for commissioning health visitor services based on local needs. The Home Office describes national actions to manage perpetrators of abuse including College of Policing guidance, a review of the Domestic Violence Disclosure Scheme (Clare's Law), and the introduction of new Domestic Abuse Protection Orders (DAPOs) with associated training for police.
Michelle Turner
All Responded
2020-0240
18 Nov 2020
Blackpool and Fylde
Blackpool Clinical Commissioning Group
Concerns summary (AI summary)
Critical funding for peer support workers, who offer invaluable 'lived experience' and essential support for mental health and substance misuse, may be lost, jeopardizing vital services.
Action Planned
(AI summary)
The CCG has agreed to extend the current peer support worker provision until March 2022 and is transforming community mental health services as part of the Long-Term Plan, which includes peer support workers. The transformation model is due to be submitted to NHS England in January 2021.
Sylvia Griffiths
All Responded
2020-0238
17 Nov 2020
Staffordshire (South)
Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service HQ
Concerns summary (AI summary)
Consideration should be given to fire and smoke alarms specifically designed for people with dementia, which could improve safety for this vulnerable group.
Action Planned
(AI summary)
Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service will conduct a fatal fire review of the case with partner agencies, share learning nationally, and incorporate findings into Olive Branch training sessions.