Coroner orders review after private patient death

Simon Healey, 60, died after his condition deteriorated after bowel surgery

A coroner has called for a review of how private hospitals monitor patient illness levels after opportunities to save a man were missed.

Simon Healey died from sepsis in 2017 nine days after bowel surgery at Berkshire Independent Hospital.

Coroner Heidi Connor said chances to detect a bowel leak and sepsis were missed.

After an inquest, Ms Connor said there was a "risk" further deaths could occur unless action was taken.

The coroner said if the complications had been detected "at any point" up to six days after the surgery "it is likely [Mr Healey] would have survived".

Mr Healey, 60, who had been diagnosed with bowel cancer, underwent surgery on 1 August before his condition started to deteriorate three days later.

Ms Connor said she had heard "no evidence of consideration" of Mr Healey's care being "escalated" at any point during his care at the private hospital.

After being transferred to the Royal Berkshire Hospital, Mr Healey was taken back into theatre twice but the "septic process" continued and he died on 10 August.

'Cannot happen again'

In her report, Ms Connor said private hospitals should review their use of the National Early Warning Score (NEWS), which is used to detect clinical deterioration in adult patients.

Ms Connor added although Berkshire Independent Hospital had adopted the NEWS system, "something well below an emergency response can be provided in this hospital and perhaps also the wider private sector".

Mr Healey's wife Alison, from Finchampstead in Berkshire, said the coroner's report "highlights clear issues that the hospital can learn from to ensure that no one suffers in the future".

She added: "It was horrible to see how his health deteriorated in those final days and it simply cannot be allowed to happen again."

Ramsay Healthcare, which runs Berkshire Independent Hospital, apologised to Mr Healey's family and said an internal investigation had been completed "to ensure that all lessons have been learned and the practising privileges of the consultant have been terminated".

The Independent Healthcare Providers Network (IHPN) said in a statement that NEWS policies had been "implemented as standard across the independent healthcare sector since 2012".