Epilepsy, 19 Sep 2013 – 19 Jun 2026

Epilepsy-related Prevention of Future Deaths reports

All dates19 Sep 2013 – 7 Sep 2026

Custom range

Based on PFD publication date. Dates are available up to the published snapshot: 7 Sep 2026. Preset periods end on this date.

90All reports 19SUDEP 68Non-SUDEP

Select SUDEP or Non-SUDEP to filter concerns and reports. 3 reports could not be assigned and remain in All only. Counts are PFD reports, not deaths.

About this dataset

We searched all 6,433 reports in the published corpus using a fixed text-search method, then assessed 317 candidates against source-based inclusion criteria. Ninety reports were included. Epilepsy had to be materially relevant to the death or a substantive coroner’s concern; incidental mentions were excluded.

Eligibility and SUDEP assignment were assessed with GPT-5.6 Sol and checked for valid source quotations. Assignment uses a balance-of-probabilities threshold: SUDEP or non-SUDEP must be more likely than not on the report’s evidence. The exact term SUDEP need not appear. Genuinely unclear eligible reports remain in All only. These are model-assisted documentary assessments, not independently validated clinical diagnoses.

The search can miss reports with sparse terminology or incomplete source text. This dataset does not represent all epilepsy deaths. Recurring concerns and responses are taken from the existing published evidence. Published corpus snapshot: 7 September 2026. Cohort selection updated 5 November 2026. The title shows the first and last included reports’ publication dates.

Reports over time

Matching reports published each year within the selected date range.

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

Most frequent recipients

Matching reports sent to each recipient.

HM Prison and Probation Service1
Practice Plus Group1
Springfield Medical Centre1

Most commonly raised concerns

All classifications 90 reports 19 Sep 2013 – 7 Sep 2026

  1. Unreliable seizure care and managementControls dedicated to recognising, assessing, monitoring, responding to and managing seizures are not reliably provided.9 reportsSelected
  2. Incomplete, inaccurate or unavailable clinical and care recordsClinical and care records are incomplete, inaccurate, inconsistent, unavailable or otherwise unreliable for safe care.7 reportsSelected
  3. Unsafe medication administrationA recurring failure of the medication-administration system to ensure that medicines are administered safely, accurately, promptly and as prescribed.6 reportsSelected
  4. Failure to ensure clinical investigation results are reliably available, interpreted and acted uponRecurring deficiency in the end-to-end management of clinical investigation results, including their availability, transmission, checking, review, interpretation, follow-up and escalation when needed.4 reportsSelected
  5. Inadequate driver licensing controls for road safetyDriver licensing systems do not reliably identify, record, review or restrict drivers whose inexperience, health or vehicle-related risk requires additional safeguards.4 reportsSelected
  6. Inadequate staff competence to provide first aidReports identify an unsafe first-aid capability condition across healthcare, care, custody and other staff. The recurring concern is the unreliability of staff competence to recognise emergencies and provide appropriate first aid, rather than any single training, refresher, assessment or practical-performance failure.4 reportsSelected
  7. Unreliable hospital discharge processesHospital discharge does not reliably bring together planning, clinical readiness, relevant organisations, safe execution and required follow-up.4 reportsSelected
  8. Failure to communicate clinically important information reliably between care servicesRecurring concern that clinically important guidance, decisions and patient information are not kept accurate, current and available to the clinicians and emergency services who need them.3 reportsSelected
  9. Failure to provide required medication promptly when clinically neededThe anchor identifies delayed prescribing of a patient's usual medication after an unexpected admission, while another report identifies delayed prescribing and non-provision of urgent therapeutic medication. These support a recurring concern about timely provision of clinically required medication rather than only the anchor's admission or prescribing-step failure.3 reportsSelected
  10. Failure to provide timely clinical follow-up after medication prescribingPrescribed medication is not reliably followed up for effectiveness, safety, collection, adherence and patient response.3 reportsSelected
  11. Failure to seek medical attention when a person's condition warrants itReports identify an unreliable escalation control in which care staff or other responders do not promptly seek medical or paramedic assistance when a person's injury, pain, fall or deterioration warrants clinical attention.3 reportsSelected
  12. Insufficient police training for safe recognition and response to mental-health and behaviour-related medical crisesReports identify insufficient police training to recognise and respond safely to mental-health crises and behaviour-related medical emergencies.3 reportsSelected
  13. Insufficient qualified healthcare staffing capacityHealthcare services lack enough appropriately qualified staff to provide the required clinical coverage and patient care safely for the workload, acuity and specialist needs.3 reportsSelected
  14. Unreliable DVLA medical fitness notification arrangementsThe anchor identifies limited professional awareness and uncertain effectiveness of guidance for notifying the DVLA about medically relevant driving risks. A different report identifies clinicians failing to advise patients with cough syncope to stop driving and notify the DVLA, while another identifies failure to notify the DVLA of relevant medical conditions. These support the named DVLA medical-fitness notification process rather than guidance awareness alone.3 reportsSelected
  15. Unreliable communication of patient-care information between clinical staffClinical staff responsible for the same patient's care do not reliably exchange relevant information about care, treatment and risk.3 reportsSelected
  16. Unreliable healthcare patient transfer processesHealthcare transfers do not reliably provide the procedures, responsibility, documentation and clinical information needed for safe movement and continuity of care.3 reportsSelected
  17. Unreliable mental health referral pathwaysReports identify different failures within the mental health referral process, including referrals not being made when indicated, received referrals not being actioned, and frontline practitioners lacking clarity about when and where to refer. These support a recurring concern with the reliability of mental health referral pathways rather than any single referral or awareness failure.3 reportsSelected
  18. Unreliable patient observation arrangementsPatient observation systems do not reliably set, support and deliver the observation level required by assessed safety risk.3 reportsSelected
  19. Unsafe interoperability between prison custody and healthcare proceduresReports identify failures in the bounded interface between prison custody, contracted custody providers and healthcare services, where procedures, responsibilities and safety-relevant information do not operate together reliably.3 reportsSelected
  20. Electronic patient records failing to make relevant clinical information available and actionableRecurring concern that electronic patient-record systems do not reliably present, preserve, share or prompt action on clinically relevant information across the patient’s care.2 reportsSelected
  21. Failure to communicate safety-critical care information effectively between care providers and familiesReports identify unsafe communication between care providers and families, including failures to convey risks, care instructions, concerns or other information needed to support safe care and decision-making.2 reportsSelected
  22. Failure to conduct required welfare checks on people in distressThe anchor identifies a risk that care home staff will not check a resident in distress, while a different canonical report identifies failure to conduct a later welfare check on a person left in potential medical distress. Together these support a recurring concern about welfare checks not being completed when a person may require assistance.2 reportsSelected
  23. Failure to ensure safe prisoner transfersRecurring concern that the end-to-end prisoner transfer process is unreliable, leaving transferred prisoners exposed to unmanaged risks or interruptions in essential support.2 reportsSelected
  24. Failure to identify and address recurring safety issues through organisational learningDifferent reports identify failures of reporting, review and learning arrangements to retain, recognise and address substantive or recurring patient-safety issues, rather than merely failures to complete one specific corrective action.2 reportsSelected
  25. Failure to reliably document the rationale for consequential decisionsDifferent reports identify missing or inadequate records explaining the rationale and evidential basis for consequential decisions, including the anchor’s crucial decisions and comparable mental-capacity, NRPF and transfer decisions. The shared concern is unreliable rationale documentation for decisions that affect safety, accountability and continuity of care, rather than any one decision type or record system.2 reportsSelected
  26. Failure to reliably learn from medication incidents and implement safeguardsThe medication incident learning process is unreliable: incidents are not consistently followed up or reviewed to identify, communicate and implement safeguards that protect patients from recurrence.2 reportsSelected
  27. Failure to reliably recognise and respond to acute clinical deteriorationClinical deterioration is not reliably recognised, monitored, escalated and acted upon with the urgency it requires.2 reportsSelected
  28. Failure to reliably refer patients to required specialist servicesThe anchor identifies a required physiotherapy referral that was not completed. A different report identifies delayed referrals to physiotherapy, occupational therapy, dietetics and Parkinson’s specialist services. Together these support an end-to-end concern with required specialist referrals not being made promptly and reliably, rather than a concern limited to one physiotherapy referral.2 reportsSelected
  29. Failure to secure and control medicationReports identify medication as remaining accessible, unsecured or inadequately controlled, creating risks of misuse, overdose, theft or access by people other than the intended patient.2 reportsSelected
  30. Inadequate control of illicit substance use and supply in secure institutionsThe anchor identifies an ongoing failure to mitigate illicit substance entry, distribution and use in a secure hospital, while assertions from different reports identify continuing illicit-drug influx, widespread access and weak supply-reduction controls in prisons. These distinct manifestations support a bounded concern about controlling illicit substances in secure institutional settings, rather than only room searches, drug testing or a prison-specific strategy.2 reportsSelected
  31. Inadequate controls on contraband mobile phones in prisonsDifferent reports identify failures in the prison control system for preventing and mitigating access to contraband mobile phones, including their easy availability to prisoners and their use to facilitate drug dealing and other prison-security risks.2 reportsSelected
  32. Inadequate recording of medication prescribing decisionsReports identify unreliable medication prescribing records that can obscure prescribing status, rationale, changes or safety-critical decisions and thereby allow unsafe medication to be prescribed or administered.2 reportsSelected
  33. Incomplete clinical history-takingReports identify an unsafe clinical assessment condition in which relevant patient history is not obtained sufficiently to support recognition of symptoms, risks and appropriate care.2 reportsSelected
  34. Unreliable Care Programme Approach care coordinationReports identify different failures within the named Care Programme Approach, including the absence of a structured medication review and failures to allocate coordinators, complete required reviews, maintain care plans and follow up patients. Together these support a recurring concern with the reliable operation of CPA care coordination rather than medication review alone.2 reportsSelected
  35. Unreliable RIO clinical-record functionsThe anchor identifies an unclear timeliness standard for RIO entries, while different reports identify failures of RIO to support complete information capture, cross-team access and usable observation records. Together these support a recurring concern with the reliability of the named RIO clinical-record system rather than only one entry-timing or documentation manifestation.2 reportsSelected
  36. Unreliable access to emergency communicationReports identify failures in dedicated emergency communication arrangements that can delay summoning or contacting emergency help.2 reportsSelected
  37. Unreliable communication of critical medication information to GPsRecurring deficiency in the medication-information exchange process between services and GPs, including information needed to maintain supplies, assess prescribing safety and support continuity of treatment.2 reportsSelected
  38. Unreliable escalation by care staff for required medical attentionCare staff do not reliably recognise and escalate deterioration, pain or other safety concerns to obtain timely medical assessment or advice.2 reportsSelected
  39. Unreliable implementation of medication changesReports identify different failures in the medication-change process, including failure to act on a prescribed reduction, failure to ensure carers acknowledge changes, and difficulty implementing specialist-directed changes accurately. Together these support the wider unsafe condition that medication changes are not reliably implemented across prescribing, communication and follow-up controls.2 reportsSelected
  40. Unreliable inter-agency information sharing for coordinated careThe anchor identifies absent agreed communication means and inaccessible shared patient information between mental health agencies. Other canonical reports identify relevant risk information not being shared between agencies and poor inter-agency information sharing preventing coordinated care, supporting a recurring concern with the reliability of inter-agency care information sharing rather than only the anchor's repository or communication-channel failure.2 reportsSelected
  41. Unreliable management of medication doses not takenThe anchor identifies missing guidance for monitoring prescribed medication that self-administering patients do not take when dispensed. A different report identifies inconsistent procedures for responding when service users refuse or do not take medication. Together these support a recurring concern with the reliability of detecting, monitoring and escalating omitted or refused medication doses, rather than a concern limited to one guidance document or one home's procedure.2 reportsSelected
  42. Unreliable medication dosage verification and communicationReports identify unsafe failures to ensure that medication dosages are accurately verified, clarified and communicated across prescribing, dispensing and administration activities.2 reportsSelected
  43. Unreliable observation of people in custodyThe anchor report identifies failure to transfer and replicate medically required observation levels when a detained person moves into GEO AMEY custody, while a different report identifies uncertainty about whether the correct observation level, including constant watch, was provided to a person in prison custody. Together these support a recurring concern about the reliability of the custody observation process rather than only one handover or level-setting failure.2 reportsSelected
  44. Unreliable recording of required observations in care and custodyDifferent reports identify inaccurate, delayed, anticipatory or falsified records of required observations, including 15-minute observations in prison custody and patient-care settings. The shared unsafe condition is that observation records do not reliably reflect when and how observations were actually conducted, rather than any one observation frequency, recording location or electronic system.2 reportsSelected
  45. Unreliable review and action on clinically significant incoming correspondenceReports identify failures across the incoming clinical-correspondence process, including failure to identify GP medication-review requests, failure to bring action-requiring correspondence to medical staff, and correspondence being filed without GP review or action. The shared unsafe condition is that clinically significant correspondence may not reliably reach the responsible clinician or trigger the required clinical response.2 reportsSelected
  46. Unreliable safety CCTV monitoring systemsDifferent reports identify failures in the operation of CCTV used as a safety control, including absent staff access arrangements, inadequate coverage, non-working cameras, insufficient monitoring and unclear staff instructions. Together these support the reliability of safety CCTV monitoring as the parent concern rather than any single access, coverage, equipment or training failure.2 reportsSelected
  47. Unreliable urgent mental health referral and assessment pathwaysUrgent mental-health referral pathways do not reliably secure timely access, coordination and specialist assessment.2 reportsSelected
  48. Unreliable welfare-check processes for people whose health is of concernThe anchor identifies unclear purpose and use of the welfare sheet for monitoring prisoners whose health is of concern. A separate report identifies inconsistent criteria for what constitutes a welfare check and when it is recorded. Together these support a recurring concern with the reliability of the bounded welfare-check process, rather than only the sheet or recording component.2 reportsSelected
  49. Unsafe cell-sharing decisions for prisonersRecurring deficiencies in the prison cell-sharing risk system can leave prisoners exposed to unsafe pairings or prevent them from understanding changes affecting their cell-sharing status.2 reportsSelected
  50. Unsafe medication prescribingReports identify unsafe prescribing decisions in which the medication, indication, dose or relevant clinical circumstances are not adequately evaluated before prescribing.2 reportsSelected

Reports matching this recurring concern

19 Sep 2013 – 7 Sep 2026 · 2 reports

Classification: all classificationsRecurring concern: Unreliable management of medication doses not taken
Reset

Only concerns related to the selected recurring concern and their linked actions and positions are shown. Other concerns are counted within each report.

Actions and positions describe what recipients stated in published responses. Select a statement to read its source wording.

  1. East Sussex

    AI-generated summary

    Trevor Alan MONERVILLE · 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

    Trevor Alan Monerville, who had been detained at HMP Lewes, was found unresponsive in his cell on 18 April 2021 and died after suffering from epilepsy and non-epileptic attack disorder. The principal concerns were inadequate monitoring and management of his epilepsy after the ACCT closed, poor communication and information-sharing between healthcare, prison staff and family, and insufficient staff training in managing epilepsy and seizures.

    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

    Lack of a mechanism to report medication non-compliance to Security

    Wider context from the report

    “b. Communication between healthcare and prison staff especially when Trevor was returned to the wing, between the prison staff and family, briefing by prison managers to officers on the wing about Trevor’s condition were all inadequate. Evidence was heard about the lack of integration of various IT systems which contributed to poor communication. In spite of the evidence from PPG regarding the sensitivity of medical records which should not be disclosed to the prison staff, I remain concerned that there was no effective monitoring and management of Trevor on the wing once the ACCT was closed. There was no mechanism in place for prison and healthcare staff to report their concerns about Trevor’s non compliance with taking his medication to Security, thus preventing the cell from being searched for retained medication. ”

    Source location

    Trevor Alan MONERVILLE · 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

    Use confidential intelligence reports to notify Security when patients may be stockpiling medication.

    Verbatim wording from the response

    “Pharmacy technicians manage medication compliance. They have now been given wings to lead on so that they have full oversight of patients on their own wing. SystmOne assists with supporting the identity of patients who have missed doses. In addition, the IR process is in place if it is believed or suspected that a patient might be stockpiling. An IR is an intelligence report that will be received confidentially by the security department.”

    Source location

    Response from Practice Plus Group
    Page 4 · response
    Published 19 January 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

    Existing information-sharing protocols and weekly meetings are considered appropriate for communication and management of complex safety concerns.

    Verbatim wording from the response

    “There are Information Sharing protocols in place, as directed by national policy, which underpin the exchange of information between healthcare and prison staff. There are several regular meetings involving healthcare and prison staff where individual issues are raised and addressed, including the Safety Intervention Meeting and Multi-Disciplinary Complex Case Clinic, both of which are held weekly.”

    Source location

    Response from HM Prison and Probation Service
    Page 1 · response
    Published 19 January 2024

    Open published response
  2. Manchester West

    AI-generated summary

    Jorge Emanuel Mousinho Assabay E Castro · 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

    Jorge Emanuel Mousinho Assabay E Castro died at home on 16 October 2014 after being found collapsed and unresponsive. He had post-traumatic epilepsy but had not received sodium valproate after 3 July 2014, despite attending his GP practice three times without the medication issue being reviewed. The principal concerns were the lack of systems to identify uncollected prescriptions and to alert GPs to medication-adherence concerns, particularly for vulnerable patients.

    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

    Lack of systems to identify and highlight outstanding prescriptions

    Wider context from the report

    “1. During the Inquest evidence was heard that: i. Jorge had not received sodium valproate medication for administration after 3rd July 2014 and he had been diagnosed with post traumatic epilepsy in February 2014 requiring regular treatment with sodium valproate as an anti-epileptic medication. ii. Jorge had been seen by General Practitioners at the Springfield Medical Centre on three occasions after the 3rd July 2014 without any review of the fact that he had not collected prescriptions for sodium valproate and the fact that the General Practitioner had received a letter from ████████ alerting the General Practitioner to an issue in relation to his regular adherence with his anti-epileptic medication. iii. Jorge was known to be a vulnerable person, who consumed excess amounts of alcohol on a regular basis and who was being treated with Citalopram for depression prior to his injuries on the 20th June 2013 and subsequently on the 18th September 2014 prior to his death. iv. The General Practitioner’s surgery at Springfield Medical Centre does not appear to have any systems to identify and highlight a patient who has not collected prescriptions, particularly in relation to vulnerable patients who will be dependent on medication for the control of a diagnosed condition and, as in the case of Jorge, to reduce the risk of episodes of seizure. In particular the computerised records do not have a system of highlighting any outstanding prescriptions at subsequent consultations so that a General Practitioner was not alerted to the fact that Jorge had not collected his prescriptions and would not have had a supply of his anti-epileptic medication after the 3rd July 2014 at any of the appointments following the 3rd July 2014. v. The evidence raised concerns that there is a risk that future deaths will occur unless action is taken to review the above issues. 2. I request you to consider the above concerns, particularly with regard to the following: i. The procedures and systems to highlight and alert General Practitioners in relation to concerns or issues raised by a Hospital Consultant, namely in Jorge’s case by ████████ with regard to Jorge’s regular adherence with his anti-epileptic medication. ii. A review of your systems and procedures to alert General Practitioners in relation to the issue of prescriptions and the failure of a patient to collect prescriptions for prescribed medications, particularly in relation to vulnerable patients who have not collected or received their prescriptions for a period of time. iii. Training of all staff, both professional and administrative, in relation to record keeping and checks in relation to outstanding prescriptions, particularly when a vulnerable patient has not collected a prescription and has not received necessary and prescribed medications for a period of time. ”

    Source location

    Jorge Emanuel Mousinho Assabay E Castro · Prevention of Future Deaths report
    Page 4 · 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

    Deliver a half-day training workshop for staff involved in repeat-prescription generation to support the revised systems and procedures.

    Verbatim wording from the response

    “3. Training of all staff in relation to prescribing As a practice we have taken this opportunity to look at our prescribing systems and the changes above do require staff training. However, we have also looked at the possibility of external facilitators who may bring further advice and expertise to the practice of effective management of repeat prescribing. We can confirm that a half-day workshop has been arranged for Thursday 25th June and we would be open to any further recommendations on this day.”

    Source location

    2015-0170-Response-by-Springfield-Medical-Centre
    Page 3 · response
    Published 29 April 2015

    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

    Notify and collaborate with local pharmacies regarding interruptions to weekly medication collection or supply, and disseminate the significant-event learning.

    Verbatim wording from the response

    “Weekly prescriptions are all sent to the patient’s nominated pharmacy. We have written to our local pharmacies and asked them to kindly inform us if there is any interruption to any of these patients’ medication collection or supply.”

    Source location

    2015-0170-Response-by-Springfield-Medical-Centre
    Page 3 · response
    Published 29 April 2015

    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

    Amend the prescribing system to highlight overdue prescriptions after three months and prompt timely clinical follow-up.

    Verbatim wording from the response

    “time period and the practice has made the necessary amendments so that in future any staff viewing a patient’s prescriptions will be alerted sooner (from 3 months) and appropriate action can be taken to mitigate any risk to the patient. This would include immediate notification to the General Practitioner who would then liaise with the patient, carers, family and pharmacy as appropriate. The practice can then work with all necessary individuals or agencies to help support the patient with compliance of their medication.”

    Source location

    2015-0170-Response-by-Springfield-Medical-Centre
    Page 3 · response
    Published 29 April 2015

    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

    Create and regularly update a register of patients receiving weekly prescriptions, with monthly administrative checks and GP review of omissions.

    Verbatim wording from the response

    “However, even this system has its limitations, as it would only highlight the issue of overdue prescriptions when a member of the practice team is actually in the patient’s records and looking at the repeat medication screen. As a practice we have over 3000 patients on regular repeat medication. Each prescription is usually for 1 to 2 months duration. However, approximately 300 of these patients, like Mr Castro, are issued medications on a weekly basis. This system is usually for patient safety or as a compliance aid. We have thus decided to create a register of all patients who are receiving prescriptions on a weekly basis. These prescriptions are issued in 4 weekly batches and the administrative staff will be checking the prescriptions have been issued for each patient every month. Those that have not been issued will be passed to a General Practitioner for review.”

    Source location

    2015-0170-Response-by-Springfield-Medical-Centre
    Page 3 · response
    Published 29 April 2015

    Open published response

Export data

Your Excel file will include all 2 matching reports.

Classification: all classifications19 Sep 2013 – 7 Sep 2026 (Publication date)Recurring concern: Unreliable management of medication doses not taken
Choose the tabs to include