Patient took own life day after discharge - inquest

University courses Medicine & Psychology
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Sarah Adams, a psychiatric patient with schizophrenia, tragically took her own life less than 24 hours after being discharged from hospital without a care plan in place. The coroner’s court heard that Sarah, aged 64, was expecting a visit from an NHS crisis team on the day she died, believing it had been arranged by Cygnet Hospital Harrow. However, a misunderstanding led to the crisis team not arriving, causing Sarah to feel her care plan had failed. This, combined with factors such as being discharged with only five days’ worth of medication and a lack of an established care team, likely contributed to her death.

Reflecting on this heartbreaking incident, what steps do you believe healthcare providers and social care services should take to ensure proper support and care for vulnerable patients transitioning from hospital to home?

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This is such a heartbreaking story. It’s really concerning to hear about cases like this where proper care plans aren’t in place, especially for someone dealing with schizophrenia. Do you think enough is being done to ensure that psychiatric patients receive the support they need after being discharged from hospitals?

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This is horrible! I think there should be a proper caring plan prepared for every individual who’s being discharged, not to mention having someone near them for at least a week to ensure thay they’re not posing a danger to themselves or others