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Father calls for review of mental health system after daughter's death Father calls for review of mental health system after daughter's death
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The father of a student who killed herself has called for a review of the mental health system after an inquest found a series of failings led to his daughter’s death.The father of a student who killed herself has called for a review of the mental health system after an inquest found a series of failings led to his daughter’s death.
Abbi McAllister, 23, fell from the sixth floor of a multistorey car park in Birmingham city centre after absconding from her carers in April last year.Abbi McAllister, 23, fell from the sixth floor of a multistorey car park in Birmingham city centre after absconding from her carers in April last year.
McAllister, who was under the care of Birmingham and Solihull Mental Health NHS foundation trust, had a borderline personality disorder, depression and extreme anxiety, and a history of self-harm.McAllister, who was under the care of Birmingham and Solihull Mental Health NHS foundation trust, had a borderline personality disorder, depression and extreme anxiety, and a history of self-harm.
In the weeks leading up to her death she had tried to kill herself a number of times, including threatening to jump from buildings, the inquest at Birmingham coroner’s court heard.In the weeks leading up to her death she had tried to kill herself a number of times, including threatening to jump from buildings, the inquest at Birmingham coroner’s court heard.
On the day she died, McAllister managed to give her carers the slip while being taken to an off-site therapy session by a healthcare assistant and a student nurse.On the day she died, McAllister managed to give her carers the slip while being taken to an off-site therapy session by a healthcare assistant and a student nurse.
She took a taxi to the car park from where she fell, dying later of her injuries. Staff took over an hour to inform the police of her disappearance, the inquest heard, and did not tell officers she had previously threatened to jump from the car park.She took a taxi to the car park from where she fell, dying later of her injuries. Staff took over an hour to inform the police of her disappearance, the inquest heard, and did not tell officers she had previously threatened to jump from the car park.
On Friday, McAllister’s father, Calvin Bailey, said his family’s suffering had been made worse by “the knowledge that her death could have been avoided if the trust had not made so many basic mistakes in caring for her”.On Friday, McAllister’s father, Calvin Bailey, said his family’s suffering had been made worse by “the knowledge that her death could have been avoided if the trust had not made so many basic mistakes in caring for her”.
He said: “There has to be a full review of the whole system to make sure there is adequate training. Abbi’s death was absolutely preventable.He said: “There has to be a full review of the whole system to make sure there is adequate training. Abbi’s death was absolutely preventable.
“If they had done what they should have done and people had been professional and if the nursing staff would have not been thinking she’s OK, they would have taken a more professional approach.”“If they had done what they should have done and people had been professional and if the nursing staff would have not been thinking she’s OK, they would have taken a more professional approach.”
Bailey also attacked the NHS trust, which runs the Mary Seacole House mental health unit, where McAllister was a patient, for failing to apologise for its role in her death until the end of this week’s inquest.Bailey also attacked the NHS trust, which runs the Mary Seacole House mental health unit, where McAllister was a patient, for failing to apologise for its role in her death until the end of this week’s inquest.
“The only time I got an apology was 2.15pm on Thursday after the jury had gone out to deliberate. That on its own was very distressing. No one took responsibility for Abbi’s death at all,” he said, adding that he refused to accept the apology.“The only time I got an apology was 2.15pm on Thursday after the jury had gone out to deliberate. That on its own was very distressing. No one took responsibility for Abbi’s death at all,” he said, adding that he refused to accept the apology.
“It means nothing to me,” he said. “Nine months after her death and you’re now saying sorry? It means nothing. At the time if they had put their hands up and said it’s our fault I would feel a lot better. The only reason I got the apology was because of the press coverage [of the inquest] and the certainty of what was going to come out [of the inquest jury’s conclusions].”“It means nothing to me,” he said. “Nine months after her death and you’re now saying sorry? It means nothing. At the time if they had put their hands up and said it’s our fault I would feel a lot better. The only reason I got the apology was because of the press coverage [of the inquest] and the certainty of what was going to come out [of the inquest jury’s conclusions].”
The coroner Emma Brown said she identified six areas of concern where she felt the trust had failed, but said five had now been addressed.The coroner Emma Brown said she identified six areas of concern where she felt the trust had failed, but said five had now been addressed.
But she said the practice of letting patients leave centres with inadequate escorts was not robust enough and she would write to the trust highlighting her concerns.But she said the practice of letting patients leave centres with inadequate escorts was not robust enough and she would write to the trust highlighting her concerns.
The inquest jury found that carers should not have sent McAllister to the off-site therapy session on the day she died, 24 hours after she had become distressed, self-harmed and said she wanted to end her life.The inquest jury found that carers should not have sent McAllister to the off-site therapy session on the day she died, 24 hours after she had become distressed, self-harmed and said she wanted to end her life.
They concluded that she should have been referred to a psychiatric intensive care unit after that episode. Jurors also found that the process of escorting her off-site was lacking, and that ward staff gave inadequate and insufficient information to police when she went missing.They concluded that she should have been referred to a psychiatric intensive care unit after that episode. Jurors also found that the process of escorting her off-site was lacking, and that ward staff gave inadequate and insufficient information to police when she went missing.
Bailey’s solicitor, Guy Silverman, said: “It is particularly shocking that the trust waited for over an hour before contacting the police. Bailey’s solicitor, Gus Silverman, of the law firm Irwin Mitchell, said: “It is particularly shocking that the trust waited for over an hour before contacting the police.
“When the police were contacted the trust failed to tell them that Abbi had previously attempted to jump from a car park. Had this information been provided to the police with the necessary urgency there was a real chance that Abbi’s death could have been avoided.”“When the police were contacted the trust failed to tell them that Abbi had previously attempted to jump from a car park. Had this information been provided to the police with the necessary urgency there was a real chance that Abbi’s death could have been avoided.”
A spokeswoman for the trust said it fully accepted the inquest findings and that a number of changes had been made.A spokeswoman for the trust said it fully accepted the inquest findings and that a number of changes had been made.
The trust said in a statement: “The death of Abbi McAllister was a very tragic incident, for which our trust has already admitted failure to provide adequate safeguards to a vulnerable young person.The trust said in a statement: “The death of Abbi McAllister was a very tragic incident, for which our trust has already admitted failure to provide adequate safeguards to a vulnerable young person.
“We immediately undertook a thorough review of the circumstances leading up to Abbi’s death, which identified unacceptable shortcomings in the care provided to her, including the failure to fully understand the risk of absconsion and the unpredictability of her illness.”“We immediately undertook a thorough review of the circumstances leading up to Abbi’s death, which identified unacceptable shortcomings in the care provided to her, including the failure to fully understand the risk of absconsion and the unpredictability of her illness.”