Investigation and inquest
On 11 January 2022 I commenced an investigation into the death of Tracy Marie BROWN aged 52. The investigation concluded at the end of the inquest on 06 December 2022. The conclusion of the inquest was that:
On the 5th January 2022 Tracy Marie Brown died at her home address in Whittington Close, Portsmouth after taking an excessive quantity of some of her prescribed medication. She had a history of psychosis and her mental health had deteriorated over the past month.
Circumstances of the death
Drug related
Coroner’s concerns
(brief summary of matters of concern)
I heard evidence that medication for Ms Brown was required to be kept in a locked box due to a risk of her not taking the correct amount or taking too much medication. This was since Apex Care became involved in her care in March 2021.
Despite this identified risk staff left regularly a nomad box containing a week's worth of medication unsecured in her kitchen cupboard.
On the digital application used to inform carers of what medication to administer, which was used by the carers daily, there was no reference to keeping the medication in the secure box.