Prison manager says he hadn’t had first aid training in 35 years after inmates death

Prison manager says he hadn’t had first aid training in 35 years after inmates death George Haldenby at arrived at HMP The Verne in Portland, Dorset, in May 2021 - Bookmark - CommentsGo to comments A prison manager admitted he had not had first aid training in 35 years after an arsonist died of heart problems in prison. George Haldenby, 56, died after collapsing in the prison from complications with a heart disease due to the inability to get him medication on weekends. However prison officers thought that he was faking the collapse and told him to get up before putting him in the recovery position. After Haldenby, who had been jailed in 2017 for arson, died, one manager said that there is no mandatory CPR training after staff are hired - meaning he had not completed one since 1991. A coroner has now raised concerns about the ability to deliver CPR, especially on bank holidays and weekends, in prisons. Haldenby at arrived at HMP The Verne in Portland, Dorset, in May 2021. Following an incident of self harm in March 2020 he developed severe heart failure on an already pre-existing background of ischaemic heart disease. He was prescribed various medications to manage his heart disease but he had a varied history of compliance. For 16 days in January 2022 he was not prescribed furosemide mediation by the prison healthcare team. On January 21, 2022, he was taken to Dorset County Hospital in Dorchester due to deteriorating heart failure and his dose of furosemide was increased. On weekends the healthcare team was only staffed by two nursing staff and two support workers and so the medication did not get to Haldenby until January 27. Haldenby died on January 29, 2022 at Dorset County Hospital having collapsed at HMP The Verne. He had defecated in his cell the day before and was moved to a care and separation unit (CSU) where he collapsed. Staff undertook a visual check and believed he was 'faking the collapse' and instructed him to sit up. He was later placed in the recovery position but when they could not find a pulse healthcare was requested and CPR commenced before he was taken to hospital. The impact of his medication regime and the impact of his move from Wing B" to the CSU 'probably caused or contributed more than minimally to his death'. It was found that he had been in a cell that was not in a flat location, was not under secondary care for his cardiac health and a primary survey following his collapse was not completed. At the inquest, Rachael Griffin, Senior Coroner, for the Coroner Area of Dorset raised concerns about the basic first aid training at the prison after one manager said he had not received training since 1991. The inquest, held in Dorset, gave a narrative conclusion saying: "George Edward James Haldenby died as a consequence of a combination of naturally occurring disease and the effects of an act of self harm in March 2020, in circumstances where George did not have adequate medication for his heart disease and he experienced exertion on the day of his death which hastened his death." Ms Griffin said: "After prison officers and prison staff carry out their induction training which covers basic first aid training including the delivery of cardio pulmonary resuscitation (CPR), there is no further mandatory refresher training on first aid or CPR. "During the evidence, a Custodial Manager at HMP the Verne stated that the last time he had first aid or CPR training was in 1991, 35 years ago, when he started as a prison officer. "Whilst there is a requirement to have a duty first aider on site 24 hours a day, without all staff being suitably and regularly trained in signs of collapse and administering CPR, there could be a delay in delivering effective CPR as it may take time for the duty first aider to get to the prisoner, and a future death could occur." Ms Griffin sent her report to the Minister of State for Prisons, the health minister, the governor of HMP The Verne and the CEO of Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust - who have 56 days to respond. Join our commenting forum Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies Comments