Hundreds of mental health patients dying after NHS care failures

At least 271 highly vulnerable mental health patients have died over the last six years after failings in NHS care, a Guardian investigation has found.

Coroners have been so alarmed at the lapses in care that emerged during inquests that they issued legal warnings to 136 NHS bodies, mainly providers of care, between 2012 and 2017. They included mental health trusts, acute hospitals, ambulance services and GP surgeries.

Mental health campaigners said the findings were shocking and claimed that many of the deaths were avoidable and constituted a “tragedy”.

“It is not acceptable that some trusts fail in some of the most fundamental requirements of providing care, with catastrophic consequences,” said Paul Farmer, chief executive of the mental health charity Mind.

“Every one of these deaths is a tragedy, and it must be deeply difficult for families already having to come to terms with losing a loved one to learn that their death could have been prevented,” added Farmer, who chaired NHS England’s taskforce in 2015-16 on improving mental health care.

A Guardian investigation has established that coroners in England and Wales have served “a prevention of future deaths notice” (PFDNs) on one or more NHS bodies in 271 cases. The coroners identified problems including errors, misjudgments, flawed processes, a lack of staff or beds and poor training.

Coroners are obliged under the Coroners and Justice Act 2009 to issue a notice if they believe shortcomings by a person, organisation or public body such as a hospital trust, council or government department, are so serious that other people may die unless urgent action is taken to tackle them.

Source: theguardian