Ex-footballer Colin Flatt ‘stripped of his health, dignity, and life by NHS’

A former footballer with dementia who died after a fall was “robbed of his dignity” while under NHS care, his family have said.

Colin Flatt, whose clubs included Leyton Orient and Cambridge United, moved around 12 different places in the last few months before his death after a fall in Basildon hospital in September 2021.

An investigation commissioned by the NHS found that he was given unsafe drugs, was injured while restrained, was placed in inappropriate conditions and had his human rights violated.

Relevant NHS organizations have apologized or said they are working to improve standards of care.

Flatt, 81, died following a fall at Basildon Hospital in Essex.

An independent report describes how he became agitated while on Florence Nightingale's ward and stabbed himself in the stomach with a pair of scissors.

He ran out of the room and fell over the railing of the first floor landing onto a glass table.

He never recovered from his injuries.

Mr Flatt, who also played for Southend United, Romford, Barnet and Wisbech Town, suffered memory loss and was admitted to Broomfield Hospital in Chelmsford in May 2021 with a low heart rate.

He was subsequently assessed by the Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust (EPUT) psychiatry team and was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease.

The report describes how “following several incidents of violence and aggression” he was transferred to Goodmays Hospital in Ilford, east London, on June 9 and detained under the Mental Health Act.

The Mental Health Tribunal ruled that he could be discharged, but he was unable to settle at home and was admitted to temporary care home placement with the support of the EPUT team.

He was then transferred to another care home because his needs could not be met, this time with support from North East London NHS Foundation Trust (NELFT).

Mr Flatt fled the house and was returned by police, but it was then decided to take him to Basildon Hospital due to heart problems, where he then collapsed.

The investigation, commissioned by NHS England, found a number of failings in Mr Flatt's treatment and care:

• He was kept in hospitals and nursing homes without any legal framework, “in violation of his human rights.”
• The high-risk antipsychotic drug was prescribed at Basildon Hospital despite a heart problem, with doses “exceeding the limits of various trust policies”.
• Inappropriate use of chemical and physical restraint by staff at Broomfield and Basildon Hospital, which also resulted in his injury.
• His partner's views were not always taken into account, despite her having legal power of attorney.
• Mr Flatt was placed in inappropriate quarters in Broomfield, including one where there was “constant banging and drilling”.
• Early morning transfers at 01:00 and 02:00, “what should have been avoided”
• The initial review of his fall was “significantly delayed and incomplete due to a lack of analysis.”

The report makes 17 recommendations, the bulk of which focus on Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust (MSEFT), which runs Broomfield and Basildon hospitals.

Flatt's partner Melanie Leahy said he had been “robbed of his dignity”.

“I saw a strong, capable man come into hospital for help and just 19 weeks later he was gone,” she said.

“Lack of proper care, poor communication, lack of supervision and dangerous overuse of medications” “robbed Colin of his health, dignity and life.

“He was a professional footballer, sailor and businessman – proud, independent, full of humor and kindness.

“Seeing him deteriorate so quickly under supposed professional care is something I will never recover from.”

An inquest into Flatt's death is scheduled to take place in August 2026.

His case is pending heard during the Lampard investigation, which was set up to investigate historical failings in Essex's mental health services.

Ms Leahy's 20-year-old son Matthew also died in 2012 while he was under the care of the same services.

Christine Blanchard, chief medical officer at MSEFT, said: “We offer our sincere condolences to Colin’s family and want to reassure them that training and improvements have been made since his death in 2021.

“We have already presented a clear action plan that addresses the concerns raised.”

Paul Scott, chief executive of EPUT, said: “My thoughts are with Colin's family and friends and I deeply regret the failure to manage his care.”

A NELFT spokesman said: “We offer our deepest sympathies to Mr Flatt's family and loved ones. “We hope the investigation has helped answer important questions about the circumstances of his death.”

The foundation said it made the changes in accordance with the report's recommendations.

NHS England said it wants to see “the highest level of standards provided by mental health services, support for our most vulnerable patients and the work of NHS staff to ensure tragedies like this do not happen again in the future.”