Prison staff failed to tell officers inmate had epilepsy - two weeks later he was dead

John Creevy had suffered 24 seizures.

A prison inmate died two weeks after he was transferred to a Lancashire prison with staff failing to inform officers he had epilepsy.

John Creevy was jailed for seven years in September 2015 after he was convicted of robbery and violent offences.

He was initially imprisoned at Liverpool Prison before being transferred to Lowdham Grange near Doncaster in 2020.

Between March 2020, when he was transferred to HMP Lowdham Grange, and January 2022, John suffered 24 epileptic seizures.

He was then moved to Garth Prison, near Leyland, in January 2022, but staff were not told he had epilepsy or that he had recently been admitted to hospital for serious heart and lung conditions.

Additionally, his medication was not sent with him. On January 25 in 2022, just 12 days after he was transferred to HMP Garth, the 51-year-old was found unresponsive in his cell.

An ambulance was called but he was pronounced dead at the scene. An investigation was launched by the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman, as is standard when a prisoner dies in custody or shortly after being released from custody.

Ombudsman Adrian Usher raised a series of concerns and said: "I am concerned that there was no healthcare handover when Mr Creevy was transferred from HMP Lowdham Grange to HMP Garth around two weeks before he died.

"Healthcare staff at Lowdham Grange did not pass on to Garth important information about his medical history and upcoming hospital appointments. This meant that Mr Creevy missed a hospital consultant appointment shortly after he was transferred.

"I am also concerned that Mr Creevy was transferred without the prescribed medication he needed and that his health was not fully assessed when he arrived at Garth."

The ombudsman's report, published this week, revealed that a post mortem failed to ascertain the cause of John's death.

The report also revealed that his medical history, including epilepsy, hepatitis C, anxiety and depression, schizophrenia and psychosis, emotionally unstable personality disorder, antisocial personality disorder, low back pain and cellulitis, was not passed onto staff at Garth Prison.

The ombudsman made a series of recommendations with the Head of Healthcare at HMP Lowdham Grange being reminded that they should ensure that prisoners with significant health needs are transferred in line with national instructions.

The Head of Healthcare at HMP Garth should also ensure that reception health screens are completed for all newly arrived prisoners, in line with NICE guidelines.

All recommendations have since been accepted and implemented with guidance shared amongst the medical teams at both prisons.

Source: https://www.lancs.live/news/lancashire-news/prison-staff-failed-tell-officers-31828205