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Title: Health bosses apologise to family of mentally ill man in fatal fall Post by: Chris from Nailsea on March 29, 2011, 19:05:44 From the Cornish Guardian (http://www.thisiscornwall.co.uk/news/Health-bosses-apologise-family-mentally-ill-man-fatal-fall/article-3382618-detail/article.html):
Quote Health chiefs have apologised after a mentally ill man escaped and plunged 60m (200ft) from a viaduct to his death. Paul Honey, 43, who had previously tried to kill himself, absconded while being driven from a psychiatric unit in Redruth to one in Bodmin with another patient. Despite a strict policy that two NHS care workers were needed only one was with the two patients on August 19, 2009. Just hours later Mr Honey, from Bodmin, walked along the platform at Redruth train station and fell from the viaduct. He died from multiple injuries. Yesterday (monday) Cornwall coroner Dr Emma Carlyon recorded an open verdict following a three-day inquest held last week at Truro. She said the legal level of proof required to prove Mr Honey intended to commit suicide had not been made out. The court heard shortly after Mr Honey had run away he was stopped and questioned in Truro by two police officers after accosting a woman. When officers carried out a database check the correct file was not searched and Mr Honey was not detained ^ the officers then gave him a lift to the railway station. After the verdict Cornwall Partnership NHS Foundation Trust (CFT), who were looking after Mr Honey, issued a statement which read: ^CFT can only apologise and extend its heartfelt condolences to Mr Honey^s family and friends for the tragedy that followed a breach in trust patient transport policy and procedures. Mr Honey was a much- loved member of the community.^ Philip Confue, acting chief executive, said: ^The trust conducted a thorough investigation following Mr Honey^s death and senior trust staff met with his parents a number of times to consult with them and to listen to their concerns in an effort to ensure that measures would be put in place to prevent any further incidents of this nature happening again. Following our own rigorous investigation, recommendations were put forward and an action plan developed to improve policy and procedure. Disciplinary action was also taken against those staff members who did not comply with trust policy and procedures in this instance. We have noted and respect the findings of the coroner and will continue to work with other agencies, including the police, to improve the level of care and services provided to people with mental health illnesses and conditions in Cornwall.^ A police spokesman said new training for officers had been brought in following an investigation. He said: ^The investigation has led to substantive steps being taken to improve procedures and practices and new training initiatives are already in place, with others to be introduced shortly.^ Title: Re: Health bosses apologise to family of mentally ill man in fatal fall Post by: Phil on March 29, 2011, 19:18:39 This all seemed tragically sad until I read the line "the [police] officers then gave him a lift to the railway station" when I'm afraid it descended into the realms of the despicable. It's not even funny in a Keystone Kops kind of way. Seriously, heads shouldn't just roll but ought to be kicked into the next county and beyond over this.
[signed] Angry of Melksham Title: Re: Health bosses apologise to family of mentally ill man in fatal fall Post by: LiskeardRich on March 29, 2011, 20:46:43 although he arrived back in redruth by train, the mental illness hospital is located at the other end of the viaduct to the train station, and there are regular incidents at this viaduct from AWOL patients from the hospital
Title: Re: Health bosses apologise to family of mentally ill man in fatal fall Post by: winterbourne on April 02, 2011, 20:25:03 It was Truro viaduct where the incident occured.
Title: Re: Health bosses apologise to family of mentally ill man in fatal fall Post by: chrisoates on April 02, 2011, 22:39:41 It was Truro viaduct where the incident occured. Indeed it was http://findarticles.com/p/news-articles/cornish-guardian-truro-uk/mi_8101/is_20090902/inquiry-mans-viaduct-death-fall/ai_n51023862/ (http://findarticles.com/p/news-articles/cornish-guardian-truro-uk/mi_8101/is_20090902/inquiry-mans-viaduct-death-fall/ai_n51023862/) Title: Re: Health bosses apologise to family of mentally ill man in fatal fall Post by: Chris from Nailsea on April 02, 2011, 22:45:46 Thanks for posting that further information and clarification. :(
Title: Re: Health bosses apologise to family of mentally ill man in fatal fall Post by: chrisoates on April 03, 2011, 00:03:14 although he arrived back in redruth by train, the mental illness hospital is located at the other end of the viaduct to the train station, and there are regular incidents at this viaduct from AWOL patients from the hospital I know the area well - years ago travelling on a Welsh train through Redruth a chap got on and saw I had a camera - he pointed to the road bridge down the valley and said his buddy from Trengweath Mental Health Unit had jumped off it and would I like to go there and take a photo of him on said bridge - very unhappy when I declined. More recently there was a jumper on the Redruth viaduct - he wasn't threatening to jump off it but rather into the path of a passing train...bit of a wait as they were all held at Camborne & Truro. This page is printed from the "Coffee Shop" forum at http://gwr.passenger.chat which is provided by a customer of Great Western Railway. Views expressed are those of the individual posters concerned. Visit www.gwr.com for the official Great Western Railway website. Please contact the administrators of this site if you feel that content provided contravenes our posting rules ( see http://railcustomer.info/1761 ). The forum is hosted by Well House Consultants - http://www.wellho.net |