Source · Prevention of Future Deaths

Stephen Barton

Ref: 2021-0326 Date: 1 Oct 2021 Coroner: Andrew Haigh Area: Staffordshire South Responses identified: 0 / 1 View PDF

The NHS lacks a system for tracking non-cancer outpatient appointments, unlike cancer cases. Implementing such a system could prevent unnecessary deaths and improve administrative efficiency.

Date 1 Oct 2021
56-day deadline 26 Nov 2021 est.
Responses identified 0 of 1
Hospital Death (Clinical Procedures and medical management) related deaths

Coroner's concerns

AI summary
The NHS lacks a system for tracking non-cancer outpatient appointments, unlike cancer cases. Implementing such a system could prevent unnecessary deaths and improve administrative efficiency.
View full coroner's concerns
The MATTER OF CONCERN is as follows: Stephen missed numerous out-patient appointments. I heard expert evidence from a 1 Staffordshire Place, Stafford, ST16 2LP Telephone: 01785 276126 or 276127 Email: sscor@staffordshire.gov.uk hospital consultant indicating that in the great majority of cases there is no way of tracking out-patient appointments in the NHS. This is however done in cancer cases. The consultant felt it should not be too difficult to develop a system of tracking out-patient appointments in non-cancer cases. If realistically this could be introduced it might well save a lot of administrative time and indeed prevent unnecessary deaths.

Report sections

Investigation and inquest
On 6 August 2019 I commenced an investigation into the death of Stephen Thomas BARTON . The investigation concluded at the end of the inquest. The conclusion of the inquest was 'Natural causes following a lack of proper primary health care intervention and insufficient access to secondary health care' with the cause of Stephen's death being 1a Sepsis 1b Chronic otitis media with cholesteatoma in the right ear'. CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE DEATH: Stephen was a serving prisoner found dead in his cell at HMP Dovegate on 27 July 2019. Death resulting from an ear condition.

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Report details

Reference
2021-0326
Date of report
1 October 2021
Coroner
Andrew Haigh
Coroner area
Staffordshire South

Responses identified

Responses identified 0 of 1
1 response not yet linked

Organisations named in PFD reports are normally expected to respond within 56 days. Deadline: 26 Nov 2021 (estimated).

Sent to

Department of Health and Social Care

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