Alan Charles Peck · Prevention of Future Deaths report

On 20th May 2014 I commenced an investigation into the death of Alan Charles Peck dob 19th October 1942. The investigation concluded on the 7th October 2014 and the conclusion was one of Natural Causes. The medical cause of death was 1a Adenocarcinoma of the colon (resected) with liver metastases and post-operative wound infection 2. Coronary artery atheroma.

Mr Peck had been an in-patient at Tameside Hospital for a period of approximately six weeks during which time he had a hemi-colectomy performed. Thereafter he was discharged from the hospital to the Willow Wood Hospice.

1. Whilst a patient on the surgical ward at Tameside Hospital, it was noted by his family that although he was prescribed medication to be delivered by syringe driver, the said driver was unconnected under the patient’s bed thus meaning that the essential drugs and analgesia were not being delivered to him.

2. When he was discharged and transferred from the hospital to the hospice, a nurse grabbed the syringe driver which was attached to his bed, and said that that could not be transferred with him. He was thus deprived of his medications for the duration of that transfer