Recurring concern

Unreliable postoperative clinical review and complication response

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First reported 13 Mar 2015•Latest report 13 Dec 2024

Definition

What this concern includes

Includes only assertions that directly instantiate the manually reviewed condition ‘Unreliable postoperative clinical review and complication response’ and satisfy this evidence boundary: Cross-tranche review found that proposal 321 describes the same postoperative review-and-response process and shares assertion concern-assertion-794241924858603818163f65. Retain position 268 as the canonical proposal, broaden only enough to include the two directly supported routine postoperative-review assertions from position 321, and merge all non-duplicate direct memberships from both proposals.

Not included

  • Excludes general wound management unrelated to a recent surgical procedure.
  • Excludes pre-operative assessment, intra-operative technique and routine post-operative care where no failure to monitor or respond to a possible surgical complication is identified.
  • Excludes failures in treatment after a post-surgical complication has been reliably detected and appropriately escalated.
  • Excludes generic clinical communication, documentation or staffing deficiencies unless they directly impair monitoring or response to a post-surgical complication.
  • Excludes manifestations outside the manually reviewed boundary: Cross-tranche review found that proposal 321 describes the same postoperative review-and-response process and shares assertion concern-assertion-794241924858603818163f65. Retain position 268 as the canonical proposal, broaden only enough to include the two directly supported routine postoperative-review assertions from position 321, and merge all non-duplicate direct memberships from both proposals.
Reports
5

Distinct published reports

Individual concerns
6

A report can raise multiple concerns

Date range
2015–2024

First to latest report issue date

Stated actions
8

Described in published responses

Reports over time

Reports over time

Reports about this concern issued each year.

* 2026 is projected from reports observed to 7 Sep 2026.

Most frequent recipients

Most frequent recipients

Reports about this concern sent to each recipient.

Circle Health Group Limited1
Cornwall Partnership NHS Foundation Trust1
Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust1
Frimley Park Hospital1
Medway NHS Foundation Trust1
Portsmouth Hospitals University NHS Trust1
Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust1
The Alexandra Hospital1
University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust1

Concerns and responses across reports

Only concerns grouped under this recurring concern are included. Select any concern, action or position to view the source wording.

  1. Hampshire, Portsmouth and Southampton

    AI-generated summary

    Susan EVANS · Prevention of Future Deaths report

    This summary was generated using AI from the published report. Please read the original report for the complete account.

    Report summary

    Susan Evans underwent elective gastric bypass surgery on 11 July 2023, developed abdominal pain, was discharged without review by the specialist bariatric team or a senior doctor, and was later readmitted with abdominal sepsis from an anastomotic leak. She died at Queen Alexandra Hospital on 12 August 2023. The principal concern was that the hospital’s written and informal policies for specialist review and escalation of pain were not followed, which the inquest found contributed more than minimally to her death.

    Read the report on judiciary.uk

    Source evidence

    How this individual concern was interpreted

    PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the report wording shown below.

    PFD Monitor interpretation

    Failure to ensure specialist bariatric team review of post-operative gastric bypass patients

    Wider context from the report

    “Queen Alexandra’s written post operative care pathway for patients who have undergone a gastric bypass operation states that: - There is to be a daily review by a bariatric specialist nurse, consultant or registrar. - A senior doctor is to review within 2 hours if there is increased abdominal pain in order to rule out anastomotic leak or bleed. In addition to this, the inquest heard evidence that patients should be seen by a member of the specialist bariatric team prior to discharge. This is not included in the written policy. Neither the written nor informal policy set out above were followed in Ms Evans’ case. She was not reviewed by a member of the specialist bariatric team at any point on day 2 after surgery and the pain she experienced from the early hours of 13 July 2023 was not escalated to a senior doctor at all. The inquest heard evidence that medical staff who were not part of the specialist bariatric team were unlikely to appreciate the significance of pain. The failure to follow policy contributed more than minimally to Ms Evans death and is therefore a matter of concern. ”

    Source location

    Susan EVANS · Prevention of Future Deaths report
    Page 2 · concerns

    Open source report

    Source evidence

    How this respondent action was interpreted

    PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.

    PFD Monitor interpretation

    Implement a Bariatric Discharge Protocol in the pathway booklet requiring pre-discharge specialist review, pain-control assessment, discharge criteria and consultant discussion when criteria are unmet.

    Verbatim wording from the response

    “In response to the concerns set out above, there is already a policy in place which covers points 1 and 2. Unfortunately, on this occasion, it was sadly not followed. At least in part, because it was not clearly visible in the patient’s ward notes to act as a prompt. To counter this, the Bariatric lead surgeon has written a Bariatric Discharge Protocol (the new protocol) which has been incorporated into the bariatric pathway booklet which is completed for each patient undergoing bariatric surgery and kept in their medical notes for use by treating clinicians (doctors and nurses). This protocol requires a member of the bariatric team or suitable clinician to review the patient prior to discharge and ensure the patient’s pain is settling and controlled with suitable analgesia prior to discharge.”

    Source location

    Response from Portsmouth Hospital NHS Trust
    Page 1 · response
    Published 18 December 2024

    Open published response

    Source evidence

    How this respondent action was interpreted

    PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.

    PFD Monitor interpretation

    Disseminate the Bariatric Discharge Protocol through surgical governance and team meetings and email it to surgical staff with bariatric out-of-hours or emergency responsibility.

    Verbatim wording from the response

    “The new protocol, (which includes safety netting advice, advising patients how to make contact if they become unwell following discharge) has been shared at the Surgical Clinical Governance meeting which is attended by surgical resident doctors and consultants. The protocol was also discussed in the Bariatric Team meeting and is going to be discussed again at the Biannual AGM on 7/3/2025.”

    Source location

    Response from Portsmouth Hospital NHS Trust
    Page 2 · response
    Published 18 December 2024

    Open published response

    Source evidence

    How this respondent action was interpreted

    PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.

    PFD Monitor interpretation

    Further disseminate the Bariatric Discharge Protocol at the Biannual AGM, nursing surgical study day and surgical ward-level safety huddles.

    Verbatim wording from the response

    “The new protocol, (which includes safety netting advice, advising patients how to make contact if they become unwell following discharge) has been shared at the Surgical Clinical Governance meeting which is attended by surgical resident doctors and consultants. The protocol was also discussed in the Bariatric Team meeting and is going to be discussed again at the Biannual AGM on 7/3/2025.”

    Source location

    Response from Portsmouth Hospital NHS Trust
    Page 2 · response
    Published 18 December 2024

    Open published response
  2. Cornwall and Isles of Scilly

    AI-generated summary

    Norma Ann Patricia Tellam · Prevention of Future Deaths report

    This summary was generated using AI from the published report. Please read the original report for the complete account.

    Report summary

    Norma Ann Patricia Tellam suffered a fall causing a proximal femoral fracture and underwent surgery, followed by rehabilitation and further surgery after problems developed with the metalwork. She later suffered an upper gastrointestinal bleed and died on 16 April 2023. Concerns included transfers between hospitals that did not give sufficient weight to continuity of clinical care and did not return her to the hospital responsible for her orthopaedic follow-up.

    Read the report on judiciary.uk

    Source evidence

    How this individual concern was interpreted

    PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the report wording shown below.

    PFD Monitor interpretation

    Failure to ensure follow-up by the operating orthopaedic team for complications at the surgical site

    Wider context from the report

    “1. Although Mrs Tellam was under the care of Royal Cornwall Hospital and awaiting a post operation follow up, when clinical staff at Liskeard Community Hospital had concerns about a possible infection at the site of the surgery Mrs Tellam was taken to Derriford Hospital rather than to the orthopaedic team at the Royal Cornwall Hospital who had recently operated on her. 2. When Mrs Tellam had recovered from a chest infection she was transferred from Derriford to Liskeard Community Hospital for further rehabilitation rather than to the Royal Cornwall Hospital for follow up on the developing problems with the fixing metalwork at the site of the hip surgery. 3. Decisions relating to the transfer of Mrs Tellam between Liskeard Community Hospital and Derriford Hospital did not give sufficient weight to continuity of clinical care. ”

    Source location

    Norma Ann Patricia Tellam · Prevention of Future Deaths report
    Page 2 · concerns

    Open source report

    Source evidence

    How this respondent position was interpreted

    PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.

    PFD Monitor interpretation

    Transfer to Derriford Hospital was correct because urgent assessment was required and it provided the closest prompt access to acute care.

    Verbatim wording from the response

    “Liskeard Community Hospital ‘faces’ the University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust (UHP). This means that when a patient in south east Cornwall requires urgent transfer to an emergency acute setting, the hospital commissioned to provide care and treatment to patients, is Derriford Hospital. This hospital is the closest in mileage in comparison to the emergency facility at Royal Cornwall Hospital in Truro (RCHT).”

    Source location

    Response from Royal Cornwall Hospital NHS Trust and Cornwall Partnership NHS Foundation Trust and University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust
    Page 2 · response
    Published 3 December 2024

    Open published response

    Source evidence

    How this respondent position was interpreted

    PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.

    PFD Monitor interpretation

    Community-based care and transfer to Liskeard were appropriate because there was no urgent need for orthopaedic revision surgery.

    Verbatim wording from the response

    “Mrs Tellam’s care was discussed by CFT and UHP, and it was noted that, during the acute admission, she did not have an urgent need for orthopaedic revision surgery. She had been unwell due to a chest infection and then unfortunately caught covid during her admission. The UHP management plan was for her to have a period of recuperation after her chest infection and prior to consideration of any revision/further surgery on her hip. During that time the aim was for Mrs Tellam to be”

    Source location

    Response from Royal Cornwall Hospital NHS Trust and Cornwall Partnership NHS Foundation Trust and University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust
    Page 3 · response
    Published 3 December 2024

    Open published response

    Source evidence

    How this respondent position was interpreted

    PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.

    PFD Monitor interpretation

    Further liaison with the Royal Cornwall Hospitals orthopaedic team was not clinically needed until around the later transfer period.

    Verbatim wording from the response

    “On receipt of the referral, the RCHT orthopaedic team discussed a potential admission with their trauma coordinators, and the patient record in UHP documented there was a discussion at 15:00 via telephone. The discussion with the orthopaedic team concluded that community-based hospital care was appropriate, and the transfer to such a hospital should be facilitated by the Cornwall Onward Care Team. Unfortunately, there appeared to be some confusion in the subsequent days where, in the medical records at UHP, the plan was variably referred to as ‘transfer to RCHT’ and ‘transfer to community hospital’. There was no clinical need for further liaison with RCHT regarding Mrs Tellam until around the time of her transfer in March 2023.”

    Source location

    Response from Royal Cornwall Hospital NHS Trust and Cornwall Partnership NHS Foundation Trust and University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust
    Page 4 · response
    Published 3 December 2024

    Open published response
  3. Surrey

    AI-generated summary

    ARTHUR FREDERICK HALL · Prevention of Future Deaths report

    This summary was generated using AI from the published report. Please read the original report for the complete account.

    Report summary

    Arthur Frederick Hall developed a perforation following an elective colonoscopy with polypectomy on 31 January 2018. He was discharged from A&E after presenting with abdominal symptoms, later returned with sepsis and underwent emergency surgery, but died on 2 March 2018 from overwhelming sepsis and multiple organ failure. The principal concerns included inadequate investigation and assessment of possible bowel perforation, unclear discharge advice, failure to obtain surgical input, and missed signs of sepsis.

    Read the report on judiciary.uk

    Source evidence

    How this individual concern was interpreted

    PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the report wording shown below.

    PFD Monitor interpretation

    Failure to seek surgical opinion for suspected post-surgical symptoms

    Wider context from the report

    “6. No surgical opinion was sought when a surgical patient attended A&E with symptoms which were suspected to be related to surgery. ”

    Source location

    ARTHUR FREDERICK HALL · Prevention of Future Deaths report
    Page 4 · concerns

    Open source report

    Source evidence

    How this individual concern was interpreted

    PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the report wording shown below.

    PFD Monitor interpretation

    Failure to recognise post-surgical pain or sickness as indicators of serious complications

    Wider context from the report

    “4. Assumptions were made that pain was a result of surgery and therefore not considered an important indicator of a problem. The surgery is considered by practitioners to be painless, and that pain or sickness are signs of potentially serious complications. ”

    Source location

    ARTHUR FREDERICK HALL · Prevention of Future Deaths report
    Page 4 · concerns

    Open source report
  4. Mid Kent and Medway

    AI-generated summary

    Alwyn Ann Head · Prevention of Future Deaths report

    This summary was generated using AI from the published report. Please read the original report for the complete account.

    Report summary

    Alwyn Ann Head was admitted to hospital after falls caused a fractured femur at the site of a prosthesis. She underwent surgery, developed an MRSA wound infection, deteriorated after further surgery, and died on 20 August 2015. Concerns included failure to establish her MRSA history, lack of prophylactic Teicoplanin, absence of a post-operative wound care plan, inadequate evidence of wound inspection, and meaningless nursing documentation about the wound.

    Read the report on judiciary.uk

    Source evidence

    How this individual concern was interpreted

    PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the report wording shown below.

    PFD Monitor interpretation

    Failure to inspect the surgical wound

    Wider context from the report

    “(4) There was no evidence of the surgical wound having been inspected by nursing staff or doctors between the 13th August and 25th August 2015 ”

    Source location

    Alwyn Ann Head · Prevention of Future Deaths report
    Page 1 · concerns

    Open source report

    Source evidence

    How this respondent action was interpreted

    PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.

    PFD Monitor interpretation

    Incorporate infection-status and wound-care documentation into the new nursing assessment and care-planning document.

    Verbatim wording from the response

    “• The new documentation will be incorporated into a new nursing patient assessment / care planning document which is due to be implemented in July 2016.”

    Source location

    A-head-Response
    Page 2 · response
    Published 23 March 2016

    Open published response

    Source evidence

    How this respondent action was interpreted

    PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.

    PFD Monitor interpretation

    Update tissue-viability policy and procedures with NICE guidance and post-operative surgical-wound management standards.

    Verbatim wording from the response

    “We are updating our tissue viability policy and associated standard operating procedures (SOPs) to include NICE guidance and standards for post-operative surgical wound management.”

    Source location

    A-head-Response
    Page 2 · response
    Published 23 March 2016

    Open published response

    Source evidence

    How this respondent action was interpreted

    PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.

    PFD Monitor interpretation

    Review wound-care documentation, care plans and wound-assessment standards.

    Verbatim wording from the response

    “Wound care documentation, care plans and wound assessment standards have all been reviewed. The wound care documentation will be incorporated into the new nursing assessment / care planning document in July 2016.”

    Source location

    A-head-Response
    Page 2 · response
    Published 23 March 2016

    Open published response

    Source evidence

    How this respondent action was interpreted

    PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.

    PFD Monitor interpretation

    Present wound-care documentation and standards to safety and nursing quality forums and cascade them through directorates.

    Verbatim wording from the response

    “The documentation and standards will be presented to the Trust Patient Safety Group and the Nursing & Midwifery Quality Forum. Directorate representatives will be responsible for cascading the information through their Directorate.”

    Source location

    A-head-Response
    Page 2 · response
    Published 23 March 2016

    Open published response

    Source evidence

    How this respondent action was interpreted

    PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.

    PFD Monitor interpretation

    Monitor compliance with wound-care policies and procedures through established assurance audits and governance forums.

    Verbatim wording from the response

    “Compliance with the policies and SOPs will be monitored as part of our established assurance audits. Results of audits are presented at Patient Safety Group which has responsibility for monitoring compliance in this area and the Nursing & Midwifery Quality Forum.”

    Source location

    A-head-Response
    Page 2 · response
    Published 23 March 2016

    Open published response
  5. Manchester South

    AI-generated summary

    Barbara Joan Harrison · Prevention of Future Deaths report

    This summary was generated using AI from the published report. Please read the original report for the complete account.

    Report summary

    Barbara Joan Harrison was admitted on 5 February 2015 for surgery after worsening swallowing and regurgitation symptoms, and subsequently developed significant surgical emphysema and undetected mediastinitis. Concerns included potentially harmful postoperative physiotherapy, failed attempts to site an endotracheal tube due in part to unavailable fibre-optic equipment, inadequate lighting during critical surgery, distress caused to her family, and delayed recognition of swelling around her neck and face.

    Read the report on judiciary.uk

    Source evidence

    How this individual concern was interpreted

    PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the report wording shown below.

    PFD Monitor interpretation

    Failure to monitor and respond promptly to postoperative neck and facial swelling

    Wider context from the report

    “5. After the first surgery had taken place, the family noticed there was a rapid and very obvious swelling around the neck and face of Mrs Harrison. Why did the nurses not note this and act upon it earlier? ”

    Source location

    Barbara Joan Harrison · Prevention of Future Deaths report
    Page 1 · concerns

    Open source report
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Data last updated 7 September 2026