A coroner has criticised mental health services over delays in treating a man who later killed himself.
Jean Harkin, assistant coroner for Cheshire, has expressed concerns after identifying a ‘definite gap in the treatment system’ following the tragic suicide of Gareth Oldham on April 29.
The previous day the 33-year-old, an alcoholic with a history of self-harming, twice failed to get help at Macclesfield Hospital.
An inquest at Macclesfield Town Hall heard that when Gareth first went to A&E expressing ‘suicidal thoughts’ mental health medics could not assess him because he was drunk.
After waiting six hours, Gareth became ‘frustrated’ and left but returned a second time three hours later.
However, A&E medics failed to alert mental health staff that Gareth was back and he was left waiting three more hours before walking out.
The dad-of-two was found hanged near his home on High Street, Macclesfield, the following day.
The court heard that Gareth attended A&E 18 times in the three months before he died.
Linda Wells, Gareth’s mother, told the inquest that she ‘expected’ him to be sectioned under the Mental Health Act for his own protection.
But hospital bosses said that the law states you cannot ‘section’ someone who cannot be assessed properly when intoxicated and cannot force someone to remain in the hospital until sober.
The coroner has vowed to write to health chiefs about the issue.
Mrs Harkin said: “It concerns the court that someone who seems to be alcoholic and under the influence when they present to A&E doesn’t get access to psychiatric services until they are sober and able to engage better.
“There is a definite gap in the treatment system that causes me concern. It is that gap in the system that I intend to write to the appropriate services about.
“It may be that something happens because of that.”
East Cheshire NHS Trust, which runs the hospital, admitted it failed to refer Gareth to mental health services on his second visit.
Cheshire and Wirral Partnership NHS Foundation Trust (CWP), which runs mental health services, said a lack of staff also contributed to the delay assessing Gareth but changes had been made to the referrals process.
In a joint statement Cheshire and Wirral Partnership (CWP) NHS Foundation Trust and East Cheshire NHS Trust said: “We would like to offer our sincerest condolences to the family of Gareth Oldham.
“Both our organisations are committed to providing the safest possible care for people who access our services and their families and we continually seek opportunities to further improve our pathways of care.”
