Jeffrey Quirk

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Independent investigation into
the death of Mr Jeffrey Quirk,
a prisoner at HMP The Verne,
on 19 December 2024
A report by the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman
Third Floor, 10 South Colonnade Email: mail@ppo.gov.uk T l 020 7633 4100
Canary Wharf, London E14 4PU Web: www.ppo.gov.uk
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© Crown copyright, 2026
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visit nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3
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1. The Prisons and Probation Ombudsman aims to make a significant contribution to
safer, fairer custody and community supervision. One of the most important ways in
which we work towards that aim is by carrying out independent investigations into
deaths, due to any cause, of prisoners, young people in detention, residents of
approved premises and detainees in immigration centres.
2. If my office is to best assist His Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS) in
ensuring the standard of care received by those within service remit is appropriate,
our recommendations should be focused, evidenced and viable. This is especially
the case if there is evidence of systemic failure.
3. On 4 March 2022, Mr Jeffrey Quirk was convicted of rape and sentenced to 12
years in prison.
4. Mr Quirk died of carcinomatosis (cancer cells from an original tumour spread to
form many tumours throughout the body) caused by carcinoma of the colon (colon
cancer) on 19 December 2024, at HMP The Verne. He was 77 years old. We offer
our condolences to Mr Quirk’s family and friends.
5. The Ombudsman’s office wrote to Mr Quirk’s partner to explain the investigation
and to ask if she had any matters she wanted us to consider. She asked questions
about Mr Quirk’s healthcare at The Verne, which have been addressed in the
clinical review. She asked for a copy of our report.
6. We also shared the initial report with Mr Quirk’s family. They made comments on
the clinical review which have been addressed in separate correspondence.
7. We shared the initial report with HM Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS).
HMPPS did not find any factual inaccuracies and their action plan is an additional
annex to this report.
8. The PPO investigator investigated the non-clinical issues relating to Mr Quirk’s
care. She found evidence of good practice by the family liaison officer at The Verne,
which included facilitating compassionate visits for Mr Quirk’s family. The family
liaison officer also told Mr Quirk’s family of his death soon afterwards by telephone,
as they had previously requested. We did not find any non-clinical issues of
concern.
9. NHS England commissioned an independent clinical reviewer, to review Mr Quirk’s
clinical care at The Verne. The clinical reviewer’s report is attached as Annex 1.
10. The clinical reviewer concluded that the clinical care Mr Quirk received at The
Verne was equivalent to that which he could have expected to receive in the
community. He found evidence of good continuity of care, with a named GP seeing
Mr Quirk often to provide oversight of the complex care required as he entered the
final months of his life.
11. The clinical reviewer found that Mr Quirk’s symptoms and test results meant that it
was initially difficult to reach a diagnosis, and that healthcare staff admitted him to
hospital at the right time to aid with a diagnosis. Nevertheless, the clinical reviewer
found that clinicians at The Verne could have used more sophisticated tools to
narrow the possible diagnoses. We make the following recommendation:
Prisons and Probation Ombudsman 1
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The Head of Healthcare should review the tools used to identify red flags and
to diagnose cancer, including provision for use of Gateway Cancer Maps.
Inquest
12. The inquest into Mr Quirk’s death concluded on the 25 June 2026. The coroner
confirmed that Mr Quirk died from natural causes.
Adrian Usher October 2026
Prisons and Probation Ombudsman
2 Prisons and Probation Ombudsman
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Third Floor, 10 South Colonnade Email: mail@ppo.gov.uk T l 020 7633 4100
Canary Wharf, London E14 4PU Web: www.ppo.gov.uk
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