Hospital worker took own life after conduct claim

A Birmingham Children's Hospital worker took his own life in a room at the hospital, a day after being made aware of a workplace conduct allegation against him, according to a coroner's report.

The practitioner, whose name has been redacted from the report, was sent home from his shift on 7 October last year.

He was last seen arriving at the hospital the following morning, despite being told not to while a decision was made about an investigation.

At the hospital, he accessed a secure drug store and removed anaesthetic medication, which he injected himself with.

A prevention of future deaths report from assistant coroner for Birmingham and Solihull, James Bennett, called on NHS England to make national changes to its policies around incidents of sexual misconduct in the workplace.

He said guidance did not cover how to "discuss and manage the alleged perpetrator when a member of staff" and the "need to conduct a risk assessment of the likely impact on the staff member of being confronted with a serious allegation".

Bennett's report said that guidance must reflect when police need to be contacted, as well as advice on "what factors impact the need for a prompt decision on suspension and withdrawal of easy access to fatal drugs".

The worker was told he would be telephoned the following morning with an update, with a manager trying to contact him without success at 08:45 on the morning he died, the report said.

A risk assessment that was carried out established he could travel home safely and having family at home was a supportive factor.

When it was revealed he had accessed the hospital, a search was undertaken and he was found in the afternoon in a bedroom in the on-call accommodation area of the site.

Since the worker's death, the Birmingham Women's and Children's NHS Foundation Trust had updated its policies, so that a same day decision was made on these matters, according to the assistant coroner.

In a similar situation in the future, it was likely the staff member would have been immediately suspended by the trust and had their access to fatal drugs removed, Bennett said.

He added: "My concern is that NHS England guidance continues to omit such considerations and at a local level trusts are not fully assessing the risks.

"In my opinion, action should be taken to prevent future deaths and I believe you [NHS England] have the power to take such action."

NHS England has 56 days to respond to the report.

The body, as well as the local hospital trust, have been asked to provide a statement by the BBC.

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