OAP, 68, died after 'missed opportunities'

Coroner demands action 'or future deaths could occur'

- Gary Porter

A CORONER has demanded action by Stoke-on-Trent’s main hospital after a 68-year-old patient died ‘due to multi-organ failure’.

An inquest this year ruled that the death of Philip Unwin was due to ‘natural causes’.

But evidence delivered during the inquest heard of a ‘failure for medical teams to respond to concerns that the patient was deteriorating whilst awaiting assessment.

Now North Staffordshire area coroner Daniel Howe has referred to ‘missed opportunities to escalate care in a timely manner’ and warned more patients could die if action is not taken.

Mr Unwin was admitted to the Royal Stoke at 12.45am on April 2, 2024 due to fever, shortness of breath, and chest pain. He was given antibiotics within an hour of his arrival for suspected sepsis due to urinary tract infection although it was subsequently confirmed that sepsis was secondary to pneumonia.