Investigation and inquest
On the 31st July 2015 I commenced an investigation into the death of Mr Roy Henry Oakley who was 82 years old having been born on the 5th December 1932. The investigation concluded at the end of the inquest on the 23rd March 2016. The conclusion of the inquest was that Mr Oakley’s death was an Accident.
Circumstances of the death
Mr Oakley had been taken to Orsett Hospital by Thames Ambulance Service (TAS) for a routine blood test. No settled arrangement was made for his collection by TAS rather he was told to wait in the coffee shop. Mr Oakley, who suffered from Dementia, left the coffee shop and went to the Ambulance Bays to try to find who was taking him home. There he suffered an accident as a result of which he died on the 12th June 2015.
Coroner’s concerns
TAS had not been told that Mr Oakley suffered from Dementia and nobody had arranged for a Carer to attend with him. During the course of the inquest it emerged that the Phlebotomy Service who arranged the transport, were unaware that Mr Oakley had Dementia. The Phlebotomy Service is, commissioned out to a private company by Basildon Hospital and they do not have access to Basildon Hospitals Record Keeping System which flagged up Mr Oakley’s Dementia. Other commissioned out services are in a similar position. The failure to communicate and the lack of information sharing may have played some part in the death of Mr Oakley.