Mental healthcare failings kill | Letters

The lack of statutory enforcement and oversight of safety recommendations reported by coroners is putting lives at risk, says Deborah Coles of Inquest, and Sushila Dhall writes how a now dismantled system saved her life

The Guardian investigation of deaths of patients in mental health detention (Report, 6 March ) exposes the current accountability gap in post-death investigations and inquests. Inquest has long called for a fundamental overhaul of the way in which deaths of mental health patients are investigated. Our casework with bereaved families shows that many deaths are preventable and arise as a result of repeated, systemic failings in care.

There is no independent body for investigating these deaths as soon as they occur. Generally they are investigated by the same institution in which they occur. These internal investigations are shrouded in secrecy and are not in the public domain. This stands in stark contrast to the investigation of deaths that occur in other forms of state detention, where the investigations are independent, reports are published, and thematic areas of concern disseminated.

Continue reading... March 11, 2018 at 11:32PM