Northern Care Alliance NHS Group
NHS / Health Body• The Northern Care Alliance NHS Group stated that crash trolleys are managed by Pennine Care NHS Foundation Trust. • The Northern Care Alliance NHS Group recommended that the Regulation 28 report be addressed to Pennine Care NHS Foundation Trust.
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Response Crash trolleys are managed by Pennine Care NHS Foundation Trust and not the Pennine Acute Hospitals NHS Trust. Consequently it is our view that the direction of the Regulation 28 report to the Pennine Acute Trust on this occasion is incorrect. May I respectfully recommend that the Regulation 28 report should be addressed to Pennine Care NHS Foundation Trust who are in a position to effect change following your recommendation. The Trust has discussed this matter with HM Senior Coroner Mr Meadows and he kindly sent over full disclosure. As discussed it would have been beneficial if we had of been notified of the inquest as we would have been better placed to assist and been able to provide a response to explain that the trolleys are not serviced by ourselves. I also note the staff member who gave evidence was not working for the Trust at the time of giving evidence nor where the legal team aware that he had given a statement previously. May I also draw to your attention that Regulation 28(3) of the Regulations states “A report may not be made until the coroner has considered all the documents, evidence and information that in the opinion of the coroner are relevant to the investigation”. Furthermore, at this inquest, it is understood that you heard evidence from Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Trust, but did not hear any live evidence from Pennine Acute Hospitals NHS Trust or hear any submissions on behalf of the Trust. It was therefore unfortunate that the Trust was not aware of the Inquest, had not been made an Interested Person or provided with disclosure. Consequently the Trust was not provided the opportunity to submit any evidence to your investigation and was first aware of this inquest following receipt of the Regulation 28 report. Had the Trust been invited to respond to this issue prior to the issuing of the Regulation 28 report, the correct information would have been provided so that the concerns raised would be directed to the appropriate body with the power to effect change and implement learning. I am deeply sorry that Mr Tailby’s family have had a further unnecessary delay in obtaining answers due to the Regulation 28 process. The Trust would have preferred to have addressed the concerns at the inquest for the benefit of Mr Tailby’s family and your investigation and thus avoided the need to issue the Trust with a regulation 28.