‘Devoted’ mum, 49, died after ‘repeated pleas’ to NHS staff to be taken into hospital during final days

“DEVOTED” mum Samantha Young made “repeated pleas” to be admitted to hospital in the days leading up to her death due to fears she would take her own life, an inquest heard.

Despite the 49-year-old mum doing “all she could to help herself and remain in the life of her daughter”, she sadly died by hanging at her home in Wickham, Hants.

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Her family have since accused the NHS Trust, whose care she was under, of “effectively assisting” in her death by ignoring her attempts to “self-rescue”.

They also warned “more people will die” if the NHS is not “held to account for their failing”.

Mum-of-one Samantha had struggled for a number of years with her mental health.

Henry Charles, Assistant Coroner for Hampshire, Portsmouth and Southampton, noted in his report she had “impressively, managed to control an alcohol addiction and had indeed stopped taking alcohol”.

But added: “At the time of her death she was under very great stress following marriage breakdown and relocation.”

Samantha had attempted suicide before, and was under the care of the CMHT [community mental health team].

She had been and continued to access private medical care, which Mr Charles said was “undoubtedly beneficial”, and alongside this received “substantial and effective family support.”

However, Samantha’s condition deteriorated in early November 2023.

Having told a mental health nurse that she felt unsafe, and expressed suicidal thoughts to a mental health text service, she was given the number for an out-of-hours phone line – but this was not answered on several occasions.

In November 2023, Samantha was found dead at home – with the coroner finding the cause of her death was hanging.

Samantha’s family said in a statement: “We believe the trust’s mental health team effectively assisted in the death of our sister.

“In the last 10 days of her life, unknown to the family, Sammy self-rescued by calling emergency and mental health services three times.

“She begged them to take her into hospital; to keep her safe and protect her daughter from her own painful experience of losing a parent to suicide.

“Three times members of the CMHT refused Sammy’s pleas for help and did not remove the means of suicide.

“This was after years of failing to offer Sammy treatment.

“Sammy’s death is in a long list of cases in which desperately ill mental health patients have been denied their right to treatment by NHS mental health services.

“This needs an independent investigation.

“Without the NHS being held to account for their failings more people will die.”

‘She had done all she could’

Representing the family, law firm Leigh Day said Samantha made “repeated pleas to be sectioned or admitted to hospital due to fears she would take her own life”, but that CMHT “staff failed to carry out suitable risk assessments or provide additional support to Samantha”.

They added: “It is clear that she had made many attempts – successfully so – to access medical treatment, and statutory service support right to the end whilst battling her mental health issues.

“She had done all she could to help herself and remain in the life of her daughter.”

The family’s solicitor Julia Reynolds added: “Samantha was a much-loved and devoted mum to her daughter who should have received the support she was crying out for.”

At the end of the two-day inquest, Mr Charles said Hampshire and Isle of Wight Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust’s mental health services failed to carry out suitable risk assessments or provide additional support to Samantha and is now calling for the trust to review its guidelines in a Prevention of Future Deaths Report.

Failed communication with her family

Leigh Day also said Samantha had consented for the CMHT to share details of her mental health with her loved ones.

But the CMHT did not at any point contact her family to tell them about her condition, or seek their input on how best to support her.

The trust has been criticised for this problem in the past.

A 2021 report commissioned by NHS England into the Southern Health Foundation Trust – which merged with others to make the Hampshire and Isle of Wight trust – reported a shortfall in communication with families.

In 2023, another Prevention of Future Deaths report found that “communication with the families of patients with mental health difficulties is still not being effectively achieved”.

Mr Charles said in his report the trust should “review guidelines and procedures” concerning communication with family and friends of patients, alongside monitoring whether “such communication has taken place”.

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His report has been sent to Wes Streeting, Secretary of State for Health, and the CEO of the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Healthcare Foundation NHS Trust.

They must respond to this report by September 18.

Susanna Preedy, Clinical Director for Mid and North Division, Hampshire and Isle of Wight Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust said in a statement: “We are deeply saddened by Sammy’s death and our thoughts are with her family and friends.

“Following this incident, we carried out a full investigation and have identified where our care fell short, for which we are profoundly sorry.

“We fully accept the findings of the coroner and are committed to doing everything we can to put in place the necessary changes to prevent anything similar happening again.

“This includes clearer risk assessment processes, stronger follow-up procedures and better involvement of families and carers.”

If you are affected by any of the issues raised in this article, please call the Samaritans for free on 116123.