Deaths of people in the care of Essex mental health services

Last updated: 26 November 2020

Essex mental health services have been subject to significant scrutiny and criticism, following high numbers of deaths in their care and the campaigning of bereaved families and in particular, the mother of Matthew Leahy, Melanie Leahy.

Below are the names of people who have died whilst in the care of these services, specifically where there is public reporting on their death. Not included are cases where there has been no public or media reporting. The focus is primarily inpatients, rather than people who have died in the community..

The Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust (EPUT) was established on 1 April 2017, and merged the North Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust (NEP) and South Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust (SEPT).

Between 2004 and 2019, six inpatients died at the Linden Centre, then run by North Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust (NEP):

More recently Jayden Booroff, 23, was an inpatient at the Linden Centre when he died on 23 October 2020. The inquest into his death is awaited. See media coverage.

INQUEST is also aware of the following deaths of patients in other Essex mental health units run by NEP, SEPT and EPUT:

  • Chris Nota, 19, died a self-inflicted death on 7 July 2020. He had mental ill health and Autism. He had spent time in an Essex mental health unit not long before his death. The inquest is awaited. See media coverage.
  • Melanie Lowe, 41, died a self-inflicted death on 2 March 2016. The coroner made a report to prevent future deaths. See media release.
  • A woman died in January 2016 after a series of falls. The coroner issued a report to prevent future deaths.
  • Valerie Dimoglou, 76, died a self-inflicted death in October 2015 whilst on day leave as a mental health patient in Essex. See media coverage.
  • David Pooley, 66, died a self-inflicted death in February 2015. The coroner made a report to prevent future deaths. See media coverage.
  • Dorota Kijowska died in March 2015. Her death was self-inflicted. The coroner issued a report to prevent future deaths. See media coverage.
  • Charlotte Cobbald, 17, died during a home visit in August 2014 whilst a patient at an Essex mental health ward for children. See media coverage.
  • A 73 year old woman died a self-inflicted death in March 2014 whilst on a mental health unit for older people run by NEP.
  • Mandy Peck, 39, died a self-inflicted death in 2013 after being turned away from mental health services in Essex due to a supposed lack of available beds. See media coverage.
  • Glenn Holmes, 19, died from an accidental overdose at his temporary housing in July 2012. He had been a patient in Essex mental health services, and a PHSO report in 2020 found failures in some aspects of the care he received. See media coverage.

A number of other mental health patients have died in the community whilst or shortly after being in the care of Essex mental health services, including:

  • Sharon Kelly, 44, died in the community in June 2017. Sharon had a history of mental ill health and was under the care of Essex Partnership University Foundation Trust (EPUT) at the time of her death. See media release.
  • Marion Gaskell, 40, died a self-inflicted death at her home in January 2013 after being discharged from the Lakes mental health unit four months earlier. See media coverage.

In 2010 the High Court found that South Essex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust had violated its positive obligation to protect the life of Carole Savage under Article 2 (the right to life) of the ECHR. Carole was 50 when she died a self-inflicted death on 5th July 2004. See media release.

If you would like to add to or change a detail on this list and are the family member of a person who has died, please contact the media and communications team here.