Family’s Anger Over Lack Of Care For Mental Illness

NHS bosses have launched a review of its mental health services after a man with a history of self-harm was found dead days after begging to be admitted to hospital.

The family of Jason Ward have criticised Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust after an inquest was told that he had been waiting 11 months for treatment before his death.

Following Jason’s death, relatives instructed specialist public law and human rights lawyers at Irwin Mitchell to investigate the level of care the 42-year-old from Nottingham received before he died.

Expert Opinion

Jason’s family believe that there was a lack of clear strategy to manage Jason’s mental health issues and ensure he received the adequate treatment he deserved. It is particularly concerning that he did not receive treatment for 11 months due to a lack of funding for the personality disorder service.

“Had there been a proper, co-ordinated plan to manage Jason's mental health issues, and in particular to ensure that he received treatment for his personality disorder, Jason’s family believe that the risk to his life could have been managed and his death prevented. We hope that lessons have now been learned to prevent similar incidents in future.” Oliver Carter - Associate Solicitor

After the hearing Jason’s family said: “Jason was passed from pillar to post by those who were supposed to give him the care he needed. However, we feel that when Jason needed them the most they neglected him.

“Jason’s death has left a huge hole in our lives. We just hope that the Trust does learn lessons from this case so no other family has to go through the heartbreak we have suffered since his passing.”

BACKGROUND

Nottingham Coroner's Court heard last week that Jason had been diagnosed with a personality disorder, and the inquest into his death heard that he had been waiting for 11 months for treatment from Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust before he was found dead at his home on 19 October 2016 – a delay that the Trust accepted was not acceptable.

Jason was described by a support worker as a "good-hearted man who loved his son to bits" and who was desperate to get better for his young son.

On Friday last week, following a three-day inquest, Assistant Coroner Heidi Connor found that Jason's death was likely to be related to an overdose of a prescription drug for chronic pain.

During the inquest, the court heard that Jason was referred for treatment by the Nottinghamshire Personality Disorder and Development Network (NPDDN) in November 2015. Jason was not assessed by the NPDDN until May 2016, and at the time of his death in October 2016 he was still waiting for treatment for his personality disorder.

Jason had a significant history of self-harm and suicide attempts. He was admitted to Queen's Medical Centre in Nottingham in February 2013 after taking an overdose. He took another overdose the following September. In December 2015 Jason was taken to hospital where he told staff he “wanted to die and end all his pain.”

On 29 April 2016, Jason was found climbing scaffolding at Nottingham train station and stating that he was going to hang himself. On this occasion, Jason was admitted to Bassetlaw Hospital under the Mental Health Act. During this admission, Jason again attempted to take his own life on 3 May 2016, but he was discharged two days later.

After growing concerns for Jason's mental state in September 2016, on 5 October 2016, Jason attended the emergency department at Queen's Medical Centre with support workers from Opportunity Nottingham, a service which works with people experiencing homelessness, offending, substance misuse and mental ill health.

The court heard that Jason had "pervasive thoughts of self-harm" and that he repeatedly "begged" to be admitted to hospital on 5 October, as he thought it was the only place he would be safe. Jason was assessed and deemed to be fit for discharge.

The following day, on 6 October 2016, Jason phoned a social worker to say that he "wanted to kill himself" and that he was on his way to Nottingham train station. This was reported to Nottinghamshire Police, who attended the train station with a mental health nurse from the Trust's Street Triage Team.

Jason was assessed and given a lift back to his home in Sherwood. The court heard that Jason was not seen alive again, and there were no outgoing calls or messages on his phone after 6 October. Jason's body was found on 19 October 2016, with a number of empty packets of prescription pain medication nearby, after other tenants in the building had reported a smell coming from his room.

Giving evidence for the Trust, Jo Horsley, the operational manager of acute mental health services, accepted that the 11 month wait for treatment for Jason's personality disorder was not an acceptable standard of care. The court also heard that the NPDDN was under-staffed at the time due to a lack of funding, and that the Trust has since taken steps to try to reduce the waiting period for treatment.

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