The Prisons and Probation Ombudsman (PPO) has recommended Manx Care ensure staff have “appropriate competencies” to manage acutely ill patients, following the death of a prisoner at Noble’s Hospital.
John Corran, 77, who was serving an 11-year sentence for sex offences, died of a gastrointestinal haemorrhage on November 12 2024.
An independent investigation found no major failings in his non-clinical care but highlighted an “administrative oversight” when he was briefly restrained during a hospital visit.
The PPO report stated: “We were told this was an administrative oversight resulting from a prison officer ticking an incorrect box on the restraints risk assessment.”
The error was corrected, and Mr Corran was not restrained for subsequent appointments.
Timely
A clinical review noted that while specialist assessments were timely, the prison lacked a “clinical governance framework” to ensure evidence-based care.
The PPO urged compliance with Royal College of Physicians guidelines, particularly in using the NEWS2 scoring system for at-risk patients.
Five additional clinical recommendations were made for the Head of Healthcare, unrelated to Mr Corran’s death.
At an inquest on April 24 2025, the Coroner ruled the death as natural causes. The PPO said attempts to contact Corran’s next of kin had failed.
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