A vulnerable woman with mental health illness died after she ‘absconded’ from a supermarket while on ‘accompanied leave’ from a hospital with a support worker.
Hayley Cowan, 29, who was detained under the Mental Health Act at Prestwich Hospital, ran away when both her and the support worker she was with went to the toilet at the nearby Tesco store in Prestwich, Bury. She was found dead the next day ‘having used drugs at a friend’s house where she had gone to’, a report reveals.
A coroner has subsequently said there’s a ‘lack of consistency’ as to how ‘accompanied leave’ and ‘escorted leave’ are defined. As a result, she’s written to the Department of Health and Social Care and Home Secretary James Cleverly to ‘prevent future deaths’.
Ms Cowan died on June 4, 2022. An inquest jury at Rochdale Coroner’s Court found she died as a result of misadventure with a medical cause of death confirmed as an ‘adverse event arising out of mixed drug use’.
The now-published Prevention of Future deaths report, by Manchester North coroner Joanne Kearsley, said Ms Cowan had been detained under the Mental Health Act since July, 2021, after she set fire to her flat. She’s described as having a a ‘long history of involvement with mental health services’ and had previously been detained.
Ms Cowan was diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia and ADHD. She was described in the report as a risk to herself and others and also had a ‘long history of illicit drug use’
She was detained at the Edenfield unit within Prestwich Hospital, run by Greater Manchester Mental Health and Social Care Trust. It’s the region’s largest mental health provider and has been under scrutiny for months after a host of failings to vulnerable patients came to light.
After responding well to anti-psychotic medication, the report reveals Ms Cowan was granted leave, “There were times when her leave was escorted and following progress it was, on occasions, unescorted,” said Ms Kearsley.
“Her leave also progressed from being on the hospital grounds to the local Tesco store opposite and at times, into the local village. There had been at least two occasions when Hayley had absconded and run off from the staff with her. She had taken drugs and then returned to the hospital.
“At all times she was considered to be at risk of absconding, which was driven by her urge to use drugs. On the June 3, 2022, Hayley was granted accompanied leave with a support worker to the local Tesco store. Both Hayley and the support worker needed to use the bathroom and during this time Hayley absconded. She was found deceased the following day, having used drugs at a friend’s house where she had gone to.
“There was no guidance to staff as to what to do should they need to use the bathroom. There was guidance given as to what to do should a patient need to use the bathroom, therefore being out of sight.”
The coroner said evidence at the inquest ‘revealed matters giving rise to concern’. Ms Kearsley added in the report: “The court heard evidence as to the lack of consistency and clarity for mental health trusts in understanding and defining how section 17 leave should be conducted.
“Guidance as to whether a patient should remain in ‘eye-line’ or at a ‘reasonable distance’ is inconsistent. The Mental Health Act Codes of Practice, guidance from the Ministry of Justice to forensic providers and trust policy are inconsistent. This is particularly the case in considering whether a patient needs to be within ‘eyeline’ or a ‘reasonable distance’ when on leave.
“There is also no guidance as to how trusts instruct staff on practical matters such as what to do if the staff member needs the bathroom whilst out with a patient.”
Sending its sympathies to Ms Cowan’s family and friends, the Department of Health and Social Care said it responds to, and learns from, every Prevention of Future Death Report. The M.E.N. has asked Greater Manchester Mental Health and Social Care Trust for comment.
Leave a Reply