Investigation and inquest
On 31st of January 2019 I commenced an investigation into the death of Kevin John McDonald then aged 53 years.
The investigation concluded at the end of the inquest on 16th of May 2019.
The conclusion of the inquest was A case of suicide the medical cause of death being Exsanguination caused by multiple incised wounds .
Circumstances of the death
Mr McDonald was admitted into the Alexandra Hospital in Redditch following a spinal injury where he was assessed and quickly discharged with analgesia but apparently no follow-up. He later killed himself leaving a note indicating that he was doing so because he could no longer stand the pain
Coroner’s concerns
(1) During the inquest the clinician giving evidence indicated that the discharge paperwork from the clinical decision-making unit is different to that from other wards/departments and it is not clear what a follow-up or advice/guidance is given to patients.
The family of the deceased contend that there was no advice or follow-up and that the deceased was left not knowing what to do about his increasing pain.
It appears that no documentation has been found within the hospital about this
The standardisation of discharge documentation would appear to be in need of review and I invite you to consider this.
(2)
(3)