Investigation and inquest
On 25th January 2024 I commenced an investigation into the death of James Astley. The investigation concluded on the13th August 2024 and the conclusion was one of Narrative: Died from natural causes contributed to by dehydration and poor nutritional status. The medical cause of death was 1a) Urosepsis, vascular dementia ii) Frailty, dehydration, poor nutritional status.
Circumstances of the death
James Astley had dementia and was immobile. His nutritional status declined significantly from November 2023. In December his swallow deteriorated and led to him becoming increasingly frail. On 2nd January he was started on antibiotics. On 3rd January he was seen again by a GP and found to have deteriorated further. He was admitted to Tameside General Hospital where he was treated for urosepsis and dehydration. Despite treatment he continued to deteriorate due to his frailty. He died at Tameside General hospital on 22nd January 2024.
Coroner’s concerns
1. The inquest heard evidence that Mr Astley was at significant risk due to poor nutrition and fluid intake. However the MUST documentation was not correctly completed and the overall quality of fluid and nutrition charts was poor. As a consequence he became increasingly frail and the risk to his overall wellbeing and physiological reserves continued.
2. Overall documentation at the home was limited and lacked detail