Lack of beds, staff and specialist care 'behind mental health patients' deaths'

Coroners issue legal warnings to NHS bodies over 45 cases, prompting claims underfunded mental health services cannot cope

A lack of beds, staff and specialist services affected the care of dozens of mental health patients who later died, the Guardian can reveal. Coroners have identified 45 cases in England and Wales in the last six years in which someone’s NHS treatment for mental health problems was affected by those problems.

Some of the deaths occurred due to the NHS not being able to either care for the person in a bed in their home area or provide the type of care that they needed. Treatment for eating disorders and for maternal mental ill-health, were two of the affected services.

Related: Hundreds of mental health patients died after NHS care failures

Related: How the Guardian investigated mental health patient deaths

• In the UK the Samaritans can be contacted on 116 123. In the US the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is 1-800-273-8255. In Australia the crisis support service Lifeline is 13 11 14. Other international suicide helplines can be found at www.befrienders.org

Continue reading... March 07, 2018 at 01:35AM