Joan Whitworth

I am Mr Andrew Hetherington HM Senior Coroner for Northumberland

On  7  March  2023  I  commenced  an  investigation  into  the  death  of  Joan  WHITWORTH.  The investigation concluded at the end of the inquest . The conclusion of the inquest was: Died in a care home as a result of choking caused by massive aspiration.

Joan Whitworth was a resident at the Oaks Care Home, Blyth. She was diagnosed with advanced dementia.  She  required  support  with  daily  living  and  had  a  Do  Not  Attempt  Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (DNACPR) order in place. On 19 January 2023 Adult Social Care referred her to Speech and Language Therapy (SALT) due to concern about her swallowing and/or behaviour. The referral lacked pertinent information. The SALT assessment carried out on 21 February 2023 did not include direct observation of her eating or review of her care records. Instead the assessment was based on the verbal account of a member of care home staff. She was assessed as Normal Diet IDDSI L7 easy chew and to avoid difficult textures. It is possible that had more comprehensive information been considered a modified diet or additional risk reduction measures could have been considered. On 3 March 2023 within a ground floor dining room of Oaks Care Home, Blyth her meal was prepared in a way that did not comply with her diet plan. She began to experience symptoms of choking as a result  of  massive  aspiration  of  which  she  was  at  risk  of.  The  care  assistant  did  not  intervene immediately and instead sought help. Another member of staff arrived and provided back slaps and attempted abdominal thrusts that could not be completed as the deceased was in her wheelchair. The deceased  became  cyanosed  and  unresponsive.  No  CPR  was  undertaken  due  to  the  inaccurate understanding of a registered nurse and the policy in place did not differentiate between DNACPR and possible reversible conditions such as choking. Effective resuscitation would have required advanced airway suction due to the massive aspiration. The equipment was not available and is unlikely to have altered the outcome. She died within Oaks Care Home, Blyth on 3 March 2023 at approximately 14.49 hours.

During the course of the inquest the evidence revealed matters giving rise to concern. In my opinion there is a risk that future deaths will occur unless action is taken. In the circumstances it is my statutory duty to report to you. The MATTERS OF CONCERN are as follows.  – [BRIEF SUMMARY OF MATTERS OF CONCERN] TO   NORTHUMBRIA   HEALTHCARE   NHS   FOUNDATION   TRUST   –   SPEECH   AND LANGUAGE THERAPY

1. Whilst pertinent information was not provided to SALT, I am concerned that at assessment on 21 February 2023 there was no reliance upon the information provided in the referral to SALT which identified a concern for her swallow, coughing, weight loss choking. Instead the assessment was based on the verbal account of a member of care home staff. There was no  observation of the deceased eating and there was no inspection of her care records.

TO HILLCARE GROUP – OPERATORS OF OAKS CARE HOME, BLYTH

1. Basic Life Support and First Aid at Work

I am concerned that a Registered General Nurse and a Senior Care Assistant were not in date with their training in Basic Life Support and First Aid at Work. I am further concerned that it could not be confirmed if an Agency Care Worker was up to date with their training in Basic Life Support and First Aid at Work.

1. Training

I am concerned that a Senior Care Assistant could not recall having received any formal training in the preparation of Care Plans, no training on MUST or calculating BMI yet was completing care plans and documents. I am further concerned than when the Senior Care Assistant completed the Nutritional Risk Assessment, on three dates the deceased was identified as high risk yet there was no referral to the GP, dietician or consideration of referral to SALT. I am concerned that in the absence of training there was not an understanding of the assessment.

1. Agency staff –  induction

I am concerned that an agency member of staff remained in the dining room and was last seen standing next to the alarm bell cord. The care assistant did not intervene immediately when the deceased showed signs of choking and instead sought help. I am further concerned that it could not be confirmed if the agency staff had undergone an induction.

1. Normal Diet IDDSI L7 easy chew and to avoid difficult textures.

I am concerned that a chef in evidence at the inquest was not aware that breaded fish was not a suitable food stuff in the diet identified for the deceased. I am concerned that other residents could be fed inappropriate food stuffs that are not in line with their identified diet plans.

In my opinion action should be taken to prevent future deaths and I believe you Hillcare Group operators of Oaks Care Home, Blyth Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundatuon Trust – Speech and Language Therapy have the power to take such action.