Army veteran who took own life was 'failed', says widow

Sharon Rodhouse said the system to protect people like Mark was "in crisis"

The widow of a military veteran who took his own life has said he was "failed" by the NHS and now wants to work to improve outcomes for others.

Mark Rodhouse, 53, from Clifton, near Penrith in Cumbria, died in April after a prolonged struggle with his mental health for years.

He twice served in Iraq before being medically discharged in 2005 and had developed an anxiety disorder.

An inquest found a failure to involve his family in the planning of his care.

The inquest, at Cockermouth Coroner's Court last week, heard how Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear (CNTW) NHS Foundation Trust held a crisis meeting just days before his death.

Assistant coroner Margaret Taylor concluded the outcome might have been different had his wife Sharon been aware of certain information and involved in an assessment of his risk.

Mark had served twice in Iraq before he was discharged on medical grounds in 2005

Mrs Rodhouse wants to work with the trust to make improvements following the failings that contributed to her husband's death.

"He was a beautiful man who just wanted to do the best he could in everything he did," she told the BBC.

"He loved other people, he was genuinely interested in others as well and he was just fun to be around. We had a lot in common, we liked the same things."

Mark suffered from his mental health for several years before it worsened in early 2022. He was found dead on 17 April.

Mrs Rodhouse said the system to "protect people from crisis is in crisis" because of underfunding.

She claimed the trust had "displayed an inability to follow their own plans" and was "uncommunicative" with her family.

If you have been affected by any of the issues raised in this article you can visit the BBC's Action Line pages, or contact Samaritans.

Chris Wood, founder of Cumbria-based suicide prevention charity Every Life Matters, said the involvement of family members can be vital when factoring in a framework of care.

He said: "Particularly around crisis, liaising further with close family members, working with family members to inform the risk assessments around suicide risk, to be involved in safety planning, family members are a really important and protective factor in the care of an individual."

Following the inquest, the trust said an investigation had been carried out after Mark's death and said improvements had been made, including a weekly audit.

David Muir, the trust's group director, said: "Our thoughts and sympathies are very much with the family and friends of Mr Rodhouse at this difficult time.

"As the coroner acknowledged, as a result of this serious incident investigation lessons were learned and changes made to the way we work.

"This has included improvements to the ways we involve people's families when assessing and planning their care."

Mr Muir added that the audit ensures "families and carers are involved, wherever possible, in discussions around reducing risk and helping to keep people safe".