Daily Insight: Coroners record verdicts of concern

Coroners have cited “severe staffing shortages” as a factor in a number of deaths caused by problems in the emergency pathway.

HSJ has identified that at least 24 “prevention of future death” reports were sent to NHS organisations in England and Wales in the first half of 2023, which noted shortcomings within emergency services.

In six of the 24 cases, coroners found ambulance, emergency room and other delays caused or contributed to patient deaths.

Even where delays were not thought to have contributed, coroners warned organisations including ambulance services, hospital trusts, health boards and the Department of Health and Social Care that intense emergency pressures were costing lives.

Suffolk’s assistant coroner Peter Taheri wrote there was a “scarcity of resources” and a “severe deficiency of staff”, and this contributed to the patient not being transferred sooner.

Mr Taheri said the scarcity of resources was a “national challenge”.

John Gittins, North Wales (East and Central) senior coroner, wrote after one of the inquests: “One of my earliest such reports expressing concern regarding ambulance response times was in relation to a death in March 2013 and yet more than ten years later this problem has become significantly worse rather than better.”

Supplies announcement

NHS Supply Chain’s executive commercial director is quitting the organisation, becoming the second to do so within a year.

Andy McMinn will return to the Government Commercial Organisation at the end of July, just three months after taking up the post. His predecessor Andy Windsor left in December to emigrate to New Zealand.

The commercial director role is responsible for implementing a major transformation at the agency; this year it has moved from an outsourced structure to one that manages almost all product categories in house, except for food, and facilities and office supplies.

NHSSC chief executive Andrew New said in an email to staff, seen by HSJ, that Mr McMinn “led the commercial directorate over the last few months through a complex collective consultation, successfully designing an organisation that will support our teams to deliver our ambitions”.

It is not clear why he is leaving NHSSC and the agency did not directly respond to questions on this point, saying in a statement: “It is with regret that Andy has decided that he wanted to return to his senior civil service career within the Government Commercial Organisation.