'Gross failings' contributed to death of Hastings patient

During a four-day inquest, which was held at Muriel Matters House between July 3 and July 6, a jury heard how 32-year-old Sabrina ‘Sabby’ Walsh had died of hanging at the Woodland Mental Health unit on October 31 last year.

She had been in the care of the unit, which is part of the Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, for less than four hours before she died.

The inquest heard that no formal risk or mental health assessment was taken by nursing staff after she was admitted to the ward, despite this being a 'minimum expectation' under the policy of the NHS Trust. Staff were also unaware of a recommendation that she be placed on one-to-one observation after she had been assessed as being at 'high risk of suicide' earlier that day.

The jury concluded that if she had been given a risk assessment and been on correct observations her risk of self-harm "would have been reduced". They also found that staff did not effectively appreciate her needs, which resulted in a "serious failure" of her care.

In their conclusion the jury said: “Overall if correct procedures were followed they would have had a positive effect on Sabrina and the level of care received. By not following procedures this has had a clear and direct effect on her passing. This is a gross failing of medical care from staff at Woodlands”.

Speaking after the conclusion of the inquest, Ms Walsh's mother Christine Lavers said: “Sabby was a highly intelligent, loving and caring young woman, but she was very vulnerable and she was failed. She was let down by serious failures to assess her risks and observe her in a place where I thought she would be kept safe.