Show changes, mental health chiefs are told

Show changes, mental health chiefs are told

9:00am Thursday 14th April 2011

MENTAL health chiefs have been asked to show they have made improvements following the death of two patients.

Bosses from Greater Manchester West Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust and the Royal Bolton Hospital have been called to provide assurances that lessons have been learned.

It comes after an inquest into the death of Mark Dakin concluded he was let down by the “gross failure”

of staff.

The 24-year-old, of Astley Bridge, escaped over a fence at Maple House at the Royal Bolton Hospital and jumped to his death from the Beehive Mill in Great Lever in January, 2008.

Jayne Howell, mother of Matthew McDonald- Howell, aged 16, who was found dead soon after leaving a ward in October, 2004, spoke out following the inquest into the death of Mark Dakin to say she does not believe lessons have been learned.

There have been three other deaths on a ward or after a patient left hospital between September 2007 and November 2009.

Cllr Andy Morgan, who chairs the town’s health scrutiny committee, has asked both trusts to show lessons have been learned and changes made, especially for young patients.

He said: “It is appropriate and right to ask for a full and in-depth report to give the public assurances that both trusts have implemented new procedures and changed the way they work to try to reduce the risk of this happening again.”

A Greater Manchester West statement following the inquest said that Mr Dakin was on an inpatient hospital ward, not a secure unit, giving him certain freedoms.

Cath Moran, director of nursing and operations, said: “We will of course attend the next meeting if they wish us to and are more than willing to share with them the improved aspects of care in relation to the physical environment of Bolton Mental Health services as well as the improvements to risk assessments, our interaction with carers, and improved communication between teams — all of which was shared fully with the coroner.”