Home > Publications > Selected Cases > Selected Investigations Completed December 2002March 2003 > Case no. E.1530/01-02
Complaint against Stockton Hall Psychiatric Hospital
Summary of Case
Mr J complained that a duty psychiatrist failed to attend him when requested to do so. Mr J was a resident at Stockton Hall Psychiatric Hospital; he became distressed and requested medical attention. However, the duty psychiatrist did not attend. In the early hours of the following morning nursing staff found Mr J with a shoelace tied tightly round his neck. Staff removed the shoelace with a ligature cutter and contacted the duty psychiatrist but he again refused to attend. The Ombudsman took advice from two independent professional assessors. They were of the opinion that following the incident with the shoelace the duty psychiatrist should have attended to check whether Mr J needed medical intervention or medication. They were also concerned that there was no formal care plan to help Mr J deal with his emotional problems and to deal with his predictable attempts at self-harm. The Ombudsman shared that concern; she upheld the complaint.
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