A man was sadly found dead at his home more than two months after worried neighbours last saw him alive, a coroner said. Peter Ramsden, 74, was found on January 2, 2025.
He had several long-term health conditions and was thought, “on balance”, to have died from natural causes. Neighbours were concerned for Mr Ramsden after not seeing him for two months.
“Paramedics attended on one occasion but have no powers of entry”, wrote Professor Paul Marks in a Prevention of Future Deaths Report following an inquest. The police have powers of entry in some situations, such as to save a life.
But they did not get involved because lack of sightings of Mr Ramsden were thought to be “due to a medical problem”. That does not come under police remit in the Right Care, Right Person model.
(Image: Hull Live)
Mr Ramsden was already deceased, but his case highlighted how there might be an argument for emergency services other than the police having powers of entry, wrote Prof Marks, senior coroner for Hull and East Yorkshire. The report said “the ambulance service and the fire service should have powers of entry in the event that a person who is ill, unconscious or otherwise incapacitated, with a remediable disorder, can receive prompt and potentially life-saving treatment.
“In this case, causation would not have been established as the man has been dead for several weeks, but situations could and will arise where time-sensitive pathological processes require emergency treatment to save life.” The report was sent to several organisations, including Yorkshire Ambulance Service, Humberside Fire & Rescue, and Humberside Police.
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A spokesperson for Yorkshire Ambulance Service NHS Trust said: “First and foremost, we would like to express our sincere condolences to Peter Ramsden’s family following his death in January 2025. The Trust contributed fully to the inquest process and awaits the response from the Home Office on the issue raised in HM Coroner’s report. Our thoughts remain with Mr Ramsden’s family.”
A Home Office spokesperson said: “Our thoughts are with Peter Ramsden’s loved ones after his tragic death. We have received the Coroner’s prevention of future deaths report, and Ministers will consider it carefully before responding.”