Hospital under fire over care for suicide victim
From the Guardian Series, first published Thursday 29th Jan 2004.
A NANTWICH man - released from Leighton Hospital's psychiatric ward three days after being admitted for trying to kill himself - took an overdose and died.
An inquest into the death of Martin Paul Upham, aged 37, of Murrayfield Drive, Willaston, heard how an administration mix-up meant he did not receive a visit from a community health nurse to check on his wellbeing.
On January 8, 2003, depressed Mr Upham plunged a broken glass into his left wrist in a suicide attempt, four days after suggesting he was going to kill himself with medicine, the Crewe hearing was told.
He was transferred to the Countess of Chester Hospital before being admitted to Leighton's psychiatric ward.
Mr Upham was given sedatives before he was released after becoming agitated when his wife Diane visited and told him their marriage was over.
He was discharged despite protests from his concerned family and took a lethal cocktail of medication and alcohol, a week later, on January 23.
Mrs Upham said: "There was a plan that he would be supported by the community health team. We got a letter the day after he died to arrange an appointment but that was the first point of contact.
"The day before he died I had a conversation with the community health team to see why nothing had happened."
Adrian Sherrat, a staff nurse on the hospital's Ward 21, said: "It appears the documentation went missing and when the community heath team received it, it had not been filled in correctly.
I had unfortunately forgotten to complete part of it."
Later Mr Upham's mother Jennifer said: "I'm not happy that notes went missing.
"I feel that my son was let down by the system.
"I spoke to someone at the hospital and said I wanted it recorded that I wasn't happy that he was being released.
"His whole mannerisms told you he wasn't right."
Dr Sarah Linney, who discharged him, said: "I only met him on his discharge on the Saturday. I wasn't aware he had expressed he wanted to die after the incident with the glass.
"We can force someone to stay against their will for 72 hours. But I didn't feel it was necessary.
"He was adamant that he wouldn't harm himself because of his children."
Recording a suicide verdict, Cheshire Coroner Nicholas Rheinberg said: "Martin Upham took his own life when the balance of his mind was disturbed."
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