A North East hospital has been criticised for its record keeping after a patient died following major surgery. 

John Codgen, 62, was admitted to James Cook Hospital, in Middlesbrough, to undergo a coronary artery bypass graft surgery, used to treat coronary artery disease. 

Mr Codgen had the surgery on June 26, 2023, but deteriorated after the procedure, and died just over a month later, on August 4. 

His medical cause of death was given as congestive cardiac failure, and coronary artery bypass graft surgery.

Now, a coroner Paul Appleton has criticised the James Cook hospital, as different wards and departments use different record-keeping and prescribing systems - including some records kept electronically, and some kept on paper. 

Mr Appleton said that this approach meant that the hospital trust's record keeping and prescribing systems are "fragmented and lack integration."

The hospital said that improvements had already been put in place, and "continues to progress its digital journey."

In a report sent to the South Tees Hospital Trust, the Chief Coroner, and Mr Cogden's family, Mr Appleton said: "In my opinion action should be taken to prevent future deaths and I believe [the Trust] has the power to take such action."

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A spokepserson for the Trust said that: "The trust takes patient safety extremely seriously and we would like to convey our sincerest condolences to Mr Cogdon’s family.

“There are a number of improvements that have been put into place within the trust since Mr Cogdon’s death, which address the concerns highlighted within the Coroner’s report.

"The trust continues to progress its digital journey to fully implement the electronic patient record, in order to ensure the care and treatment we provide to our patients is as safe as possible.”