HMP Thameside prisoner who died of tuberculosis let down by prison staff, report finds

By Joe Coughlan, Local Democracy Reporter

A prisoner who died from tuberculosis was let down by medical staff who were not trained to deal with his long-term health conditions, an ombudsman report said.

Nurses of HMP Thameside, Greenwich, did not have Semsettin Zihni’s medical records, which affected the continuity of his care.

The 55-year-old had a series of previous conditions, including diabetes, a heart condition, and kidney disease. His mobility was also affected due to arthritis in his right knee, which he was awaiting replacement surgery for at the time.

The prisoner complained to a nurse about a cough on November 6, 2019, for which he was prescribed an antibiotic. On November 10, Mr Zihni lost his appetite and was monitored by nurses. He was given paracetamol and told to eat.

The next day, Mr Zihni’s condition worsened but he was unable to go to the prison healthcare clinic as the house block lift was broken.

However, the prisoner was not transferred to the unit, as the only vacant cell had no working water or electricity. Healthcare night staff did however visit Mr Zihni’s cell to monitor him during the night.

On November 19, Mr Zihni was reportedly in a coma and the cause of his infection had still not been found.

The prisoner’s mother and son were then brought to the hospital. When no brain activity was found, Mr Zihni’s life support machine was turned off on November 21. He died at 4.02pm with his family present.

A coroner concluded that Mr Zihni’s cause of death was miliary tuberculosis – a rare form of TB where tuberculosis bacilli spread around the body.

The failings of medical staff at the prison were revealed in a Prison and Probation Ombudsman report into Mr Zihni’s death.

The clinical reviewer determined that healthcare staff needed further training to handle prisoners with complex, long-term medical conditions, and that Mr Zihni’s care did not align with national guidelines.

Mr Zihni was recalled into HMP Thameside on September 21, after being released from HMP Ford on May 4 2018. He was charged with intent to kidnap and possession of an offensive weapon.

Serco, who runs the privately-owned prison, as well as the healthcare providers, the Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust, were both approached for comment.

Pictured top: HMP Thameside, the Thamesmead prison where Semsettin Zihni was held in 2019 (Picture: Google)