Patient ‘threatened’ by staff, Essex mental health inquiry told

A woman who killed herself while in a mental health unit was threatened and bullied by staff, her family told a public inquiry.

Iris Scott, 73, was a patient at the Crystal Center in Chelmsford, which was run by mental health provider Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust (EPUT) when she died there in her bathroom on March 1, 2014.

Her children gave evidence to the Lampard inquiry, which is examining more than 2,000 deaths in NHS inpatient units in Essex between 2000 and 2023.

They told the investigation they had “serious concerns about the safety” of her treatment. EPUT said it would “build on the improvements already achieved over the past 24 years.”

Their mother once told them that one employee threatened to leave the lights on so she couldn't sleep if she didn't “stop complaining,” and another deliberately blocked her path in the hallways.

Ms Scott initially agreed to a three-week hospital stay for a “quick fix” in August 2013 after suffering from “uncontrollable anxiety”, her children said.

However, her condition worsened over the six months she was on the ward and her family told the inquest what they believed were “deficiencies” in her care, treatment by staff, the ward and risk management that they believed contributed to her death.

Her son, Craig Scott, said there was “zero accountability.”

Her daughter, Dawn Johnson, said that when she expressed concern about her mother expressing a desire to kill herself in November 2013, the department head was dismissive.

“She just said I was a paranoid daughter and nothing would happen in this room,” Ms Johnson told the inquest at Arundel House in London.

“She went so far as to say if you don't calm down, you'll end up in the ward too,” added Rachel Throop, a lawyer involved in the investigation.

Due to the ongoing problems, Ms Johnson and her mother began keeping diaries of incidents and interactions with staff, which she believed was indicative of her mother's fear.

On January 14, 2014, Ms Scott attempted to take her own life, which her children said resulted in “significant” bruising to her face.

Her family were not informed and were told she had fallen when they questioned staff about her injuries.

Ms Johnson said her mother admitted she had tried to kill herself, but this was rebuffed by staff who said Ms Scott was an “attention seeker”.

They insisted she had fallen but said they were increasing the number of sightings, the investigation heard.

Two days later, Ms. Johnson's children discovered her applying a ligature in her room exactly as she had reported.

Despite being placed under a higher level of surveillance and her room searched, her daughter found ligature items in her wardrobe, which she said caused the family to become even more concerned about the competence of staff.

In response to the attempt to take her life, Ms Scott said the head of the department told her that her family said she had “overstepped her bounds” and had “gone too far”.

Ms Johnson said her mum was “blackmailed” by staff who threatened to “reveal something about her” if she did not change her story about the events of January 14.

“Mum said she felt the need to change her story,” Ms Johnson said.

“She was scared.”

Ms Scott's level of observation declined in late February and she died on March 1 after applying a ligature in the unit's bathroom.

Asked what she thought should have been done differently regarding her mother's care, Ms Johnson replied: “Everything.”

Ms Scott's family added they hoped any recommendations for changes would be carefully reviewed to ensure they were followed.

“If they [ligature points] was removed after mum died, it's possible the people who died next year could still be here,” Ms Johnson said.

“Mental health has received more attention since Mum died, but is there a real desire to take these and other recommendations more seriously?” Added Iris' son Craig Scott.

Paul Scott, chief executive of the mental health trust, said: “My thoughts are with Iris’s family and loved ones and I offer my condolences both personally and on behalf of the trust.

“As the investigation progresses there will be many stories of people who have been much loved and missed over the last 24 years and I want to say how sorry I am for their loss.

“All of us in the health system have a responsibility to work together to improve care and treatment for everyone, and to build on the improvements that have already been made over the past 24 years.”

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