Investigation and inquest
On 3rd June 2019 I commenced an investigation into the death of Clive Miles. The investigation concluded on the 29th November 2019 and the conclusion was one of Drug Related death. The medical cause of death was 1a) Combined toxic effects of morphine, codeine and sertraline
Circumstances of the death
On 31st May 2019 Clive Miles was found at his home address, 14 Laburnum Way. There were no suspicious circumstances or evidence of third party involvement in his death. Medication packs prescribed to him were found at his address in addition to an empty oramorph box. Toxicology found that he had a toxic amount of morphine, codeine and sertraline in his system. The conclusion of the pathologist was that this combination had caused his death.
Coroner’s concerns
The inquest was told that previously Clive Miles had been changed to weekly prescriptions because he had overdosed on prescribed medication when on monthly prescriptions. In the week before his death his General Practitioner had moved him back to monthly prescribing believing that the risk no longer existed based on a discussion with him about how he was at that time. There was limited evidence of any assessment of the risk or the need to change the prescribing pattern. As a result he was in possession of a significantly increased quantity of medication in comparison to the amount he had been restricted to on weekly prescriptions.