Delay assessing Milton Keynes mental health patient Roy Curtis 'unacceptable'

Roy Curtis, who was otherwise known as Ayman Habayeb, was found dead in his flat in Milton Keynes on 21 August 2019

Social services admitted a delay in assessing a man later found dead after being discharged from a mental health facility was "unacceptable".

A bailiff who was evicting Roy Curtis found his body at his flat in Milton Keynes in August 2019, several months after his death, an inquest heard.

An urgent assessment was requested in September 2018, but was not followed up until two months later.

Milton Keynes Council said its referral process had since been changed.

Sarah Nickson, service manager for the council's mental health and autism team, said a social worker made "a number of attempts to contact Mr Curtis by telephone" after they were allocated the case on 26 November 2018, but there was no response.

"I would have expected a welfare check to be undertaken," she told Milton Keynes Coroner's Court.

Ms Nickson said referrals were now screened by managers to speed up the allocation process as the council deemed the delay "unacceptable".

Mr Curtis, pictured with his mother, had ceased contact with his family in the years prior to his death, the inquest heard

A Safeguarding Adults Review into Mr Curtis's death said it was thought he had died in November or December 2018 - at least eight months before his body was discovered.

Mr Curtis, also known as Ayman Habayeb, was found hanged a month after his 28th birthday.

The opening day of the inquest on Monday heard he had been diagnosed with personality disorder and Asperger's Syndrome and had been "angry" about his benefits being stopped.

In September 2018, Mr Curtis was admitted to The Campbell Centre mental health unit in Milton Keynes, after a friend who had received a suicide letter from him and contacted police.

The inquest heard Mr Curtis was unhappy he was expected to attend "work-related activity"

His care was then transferred to the Campbell Centre's home treatment team, which in September 2018 requested an urgent adult social care assessment before he was then transferred into the care of his local GP surgery, the inquest was told.

However, a council social worker was not allocated until 26 November, the review said.

Ms Nickson said the council now "ensures that everybody who is identified for an adult social care assessment is assessed prior to being discharged from the ward".

The inquest continues.

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