Source · Prevention of Future Deaths

Yousef Shokri-Gharab

Ref: 2013-0239-wp23943 Date: 14 Oct 2013 Coroner: Andre Rebello Area: Liverpool Responses identified: 1 / 1 View PDF

An outdated and unreviewed policy for informal patient leave failed to reflect current practice, risking patient safety due to lack of multidisciplinary consensus and proper documentation.

Date 14 Oct 2013
56-day deadline 2 Dec 2013
Responses identified 1 of 1
Hospital Death (Clinical Procedures and medical management) related deaths

Coroner's concerns

AI summary
An outdated and unreviewed policy for informal patient leave failed to reflect current practice, risking patient safety due to lack of multidisciplinary consensus and proper documentation.
View full coroner's concerns
_ The Mersey Care and Procedure for leave for an informal patient was ratified in October 2006 and was due for review in October 2007. It has not been reviewed. The policy does not reflect practice_ The policy needs to be updated immediately to protect patients and to be fair t0 employees of Mersey Care. To reflect current practice the policy should reflect amongst other matters that leave is permitted when observations are reduced to level and there has been a multidisciplinary team consensus that a regime of leave is appropriate having consideration to () the deceased's vulnerability, (ii) the fact that the hospital had assumed responsibility for the patient's welfare and safety, including by the exercise of control; and (iii) the nature of the risk and whether it was "exceptional" rather than "ordinary" policy should include stressing the importance of documenting before leave the time of taking leave and when the patient is due back: The operation of the policy should be audited to ensure compliance

Responses

1 respondent
Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust NHS / Health Body
14 Mar 2014 PDF
Action Taken

• The Corporate Governance Team have been tasked with ensuring that all policies are received and updated to ensure that reflect national best practice. • Of the 120 Corporate Policies and Procedures currently in place , 117 are now in date. • The policy that provided concern at the Inquest on 11th October 2013 was one of the first to be reviewed and updated. (AI summary)

View full response
Dear Mr Rebello, Thank you for raising your concerns about the fact that Trust Policy had not been updated for some time and therefore was not representative of current practice. can confirm that the Corporate Governance Team have been tasked with ensuring that all policies are received and updated to ensure that reflect national best practice. Of the 120 Corporate Policies and Procedures currently in place , 117 are now in date_ Three policies are subject to fundamental review; this process will be completed by 31st March 2014. Between November 2013 and 12th February 2014, 50 policies have been reviewed and updated: can confirm that the policy that provided you with concern at the Inquest on 11th October 2013 was one of the first to be reviewed and updated. If can provide any further information, please do not hesitate to contact me at the above address_

Report sections

Investigation and inquest
On Ist July 2013 commenced an investigation into the death of Yousef SHOKRI-GHARAB, Aged 34_ The investigation concluded at the end of the inquest on 11th October 2013_ The conclusion of the inquest was Ila Morphine (Heroin) Toxicity Yousef SHOKRI-GHARAB was certified as having died at the Royal Liverpool University Hospital on the 2Oth June 2013. He was an asylum seeker from Iran and his request for asylum status had been rejected by the Home Office: He was going through a tribunal appeal against this decision at the time of his death. He was suffering from a mental illness which, though still under assessment; was in the nature of an emotional unstable personality disorder He had difficulty in coping with stress had poor coping strategies, difficulty regulating his emotions and had hallucinations. He had self-harmed in various ways including overdoses of medication, banging his head, striking hard objects with his hands and fists and cutting himself with parts of a sharp tin-can_ It remains unclear as to whether his self harm was purely part of his mental disorder or attention seeking or to manipulate situations. It is unclear as to whether he intended to end his life through self harm or whether comments about ending his life were made to exaggerate his demands He required in-patient treatment for this disorder; to which he agreed without need for recourse to the statutory powers. He reported that he had previously suffered and received treatment for substance misuse, including heroin, but had been abstemious for a year and a half: He was on level two observations which precluded him having unescorted leave from the Windsor House until 13th June, when a multidisciplinary team appropriately moved him to level one observations enabling leave. Unfortunately "the and Procedure for leave for an informal patient" in the hospital, ratified in October 2006 and due for review in October 2007 remained the current policy in June 2013, it not having been reviewed: Permission for leave on the 15th, 16th, 17th 19th and 20th June 2013 were authorised after consideration and risk assessment by nursing staff;, without regard to the opinion of the Responsible Medical Officer (Consultant Psychiatrist): In this case it is found that this did not make any material difference to what would have happened had the policy been followed as the consultant psychiatrist confirmed that he would have approved of the leave granted: This would not necessarily have been the outcome in another case On the 15th16th, twice on the 17th and on the Policy

19th June, Mr SHOKRI-GHARAB returned from leave_ There was no reason why he would not have been given leave to ostensibly visit the post office, Refugee Action and his solicitor on the 2Oth June to clarify payments of his asylum support allowance. It is unclear as to whether he attended at any of these places when on leave He was found atabout 12.15 pm in a collapsed state in a disused car park in Roscoe Street; Liverpool Thereafter; he was attended by paramedics and taken to the Royal Liverpool University Hospital. At 13.25,after attempts at resuscitation; he was certified as having died: Post mortem analysis of blood revealed, amongst other substances, the presence of Morphine at 0.36 mg/L, 6-mono-acetyl Morphine ato O8mg/L, Codeine at .0.027mg/L. It is found that Yousef SHOKRI-GHARAB has died from the toxic effects of heroin. It is to be significant that he had been abstemious from opiates for 18 months and was likely to have lost any tolerance to opiates which he previously had:
Circumstances of the death
Yousef Gharaab is an asylum seeker; his asylum seeker status has recently been reviewed and rejected. H $ family have been concerned as he has shown suicidal intent; stating he will end his life by any means_ He has recently been discharged from the Brunswick Ward at Windsor House on 31st May 2013 On Thursday 20th June 2012 and his partner were sleeping rough at the old car park junction of Oldham street and Roscoe street awoke at 12.15pm and noticed a male was on the floor; he looked asleep but John didn't recognise him. John noticed his lips were purple and he wasn't breathing: Paramedics were called and conveyed Yousef to RLUH where he died short time later: land confirmed death not being treated as suspicious after visiting the scene and not any suspicious marks or injuries
Action should be taken
In my opinion action should be taken to prevent future deaths and believe you [ANDIOR your organisation] have the power to take such action_ likely They finding Policy_ The

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Report details

Reference
2013-0239-wp23943
Date of report
14 October 2013
Coroner
Andre Rebello
Coroner area
Liverpool

Responses identified

Responses identified 1 of 1
All listed responses identified

Organisations named in PFD reports are normally expected to respond within 56 days. Deadline: 2 Dec 2013.

Sent to

Mersey Care, NHS Trust

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