Woman let down by mental health services, family say

Sarah Adams was found in her Reading flat the day after being discharged from a psychiatric hospital

A psychiatric patient who took her own life less than 24 hours after being discharged from hospital was "badly let down" by social and mental health services, her family have said.

A coroner concluded on Monday that Sarah Adams took her own life in Reading in May 2022 after "care and service delivery issues around her discharge".

Her niece Izzy Adams said she hoped the inquest would lead to "meaningful changes".

Cygnet Harrow Hospital and Berkshire NHS Trusts both said improvements had already been made.

Sarah, who had a long-standing schizophrenia diagnosis, had been living independently since 2007 but her mental health began to deteriorate in 2021.

She was admitted to Cygnet Harrow Hospital after attempting to take her own life on 4 April 2022.

Sarah Adams' niece Izzy played a big part in caring for her

Izzy said at this time she was at "breaking point" and struggling to cope with her aunt's care.

While in hospital, the court heard staff allowed Sarah to call Izzy frequently, often late at night, when she was in a manic state.

This eventually led to Izzy blocking the calls for her own mental health.

Coroner Alison McCormick said Sarah was discharged on 18 May without a care plan in place and with five days' worth of medication.

She was found dead in her flat the following day.

Izzy told the inquest she felt her aunt had been badly let down by Cygnet, the NHS trust, and Reading Borough Council social services.

Sarah had been an inpatient at Cygnet Hospital Harrow

The court also heard none of the family were involved in discussions about Sarah's care once she returned home, and Izzy only became aware after Sarah's death that she had been discharged from hospital.

"I still do not understand how Sarah could be discharged from hospital without the support she needed and with a large supply of medication, when she had tried to take her own life just a few weeks earlier," Izzy said.

"I hope that this contributes to meaningful changes so that other families do not have to go through what we have been through."

Cygnet said it had appointed a new manager and reviewed its discharge policy.

Berkshire NHS Trust also said it had improved its processes.

A spokesperson for Reading Borough Council said the authority would continue to work with the NHS trust to ensure patients were discharged safely.

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