Basildon EPUT 'failed' man just hours before his death

Jamie Harding, 31, died in June 2022, after having a fall from a “significant height” from a window at his home address.

His death came just hours after Jamie, accompanied by his mother, arrived at Basildon Hospital’s A&E department “seeking help for his deteriorating mental health”.

In a report to prevent future deaths, coroner Sean Horstead said “significant and repeated failures” by Essex Partnership University NHS Trust led to his passing.

Mr Horstead has given EPUT 56 days to explain the action it has or will take to prevent future deaths.

Speaking at an earlier inquest, mum Carolyn Claydon said Jamie’s death has had a “devastating impact”.

Heartbreaking - Death of Jamie Harding (Image: Leigh Day / Family Handout)

 She added: “Jamie’s death continues to have a devastating impact on my family and I.

“We miss him every day, and those of us who were present when he died continue to be traumatised by what happened.

“While nothing can be done to change those events and bring Jamie back, I hope that EPUT takes steps to learn from the circumstances of his death.”

Jamie had first been under the care of EPUT between 2017 and 2020, where he was prescribed anti-psychotic medication and allocated a care coordinator.

However, in November 2021, two separate and urgent GP referrals were made to EPUT requesting an urgent review of Jamie, as he was “hearing voices and experiencing paranoia”.

The coroner highlights that in the “evidence disclosed, in the six months that followed this assessment there were a series of significant and repeated failures”.

On June 3, 2022, accompanied by his mother, he presented at Basildon Hospital A&E department in crisis.

However, the coroner states that the assessment subsequently undertake “was inadequate and failed to appropriately act”.

Instead, Jamie was discharged home with a plan for him to be seen the following day by the Home Treatment Team.

Within hours Jamie had taken his own life having fallen a significant height from a window at his home address.

In response, Paul Scott, CEO of Essex Partnership University NHS Trust said: “I am sorry for the mistakes that were made in Jamie’s care and my deepest condolences remain with his family, friends and loved ones.

“We are continuously working with families, staff and partners to drive the transformation of mental health services so that all patients always receive the high quality and personalised care they rightly deserve.”

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