A coroner has raised concerns over the level of funding in mental health services following the death of a patient in the East Midlands.
Assistant coroner for Nottinghamshire Heidi Connor has written a report warning that the NHS, particularly mental health services, “are having to spread resources ever more thinly”, following an inquest in to the death of Kate Dolby.
While the inquest found multiple breakdowns in communication between providers, Ms Connor said the “most significant” factor in Ms Dolby’s death was “the workload and waiting list”.
Ms Dolby was found dead on 9 October 2016 after suffering from “toxicity” of the drug propranolol, which is used to treat anxiety.
Prior to her death, she was referred to the early intervention in psychosis team run by Nottinghamshire Healthcare Foundation Trust, but there were delays to her receiving treatment.
Full story in The HSJ, 7 September 2017