Ruth Mitchell: 'No further action' after woman starved to death

Ruth Mitchell starved to death in September 2012

A coroner has ruled no further action is needed after a woman starved to death while under the care of mental health services.

Ruth Mitchell, 40, who had schizophrenia, died at her home in Plymouth in September 2012.

Coroner Ian Arrow said there was no longer a "real or immediate risk to an individual's life" after a "sea change" at the organisations involved.

Ms Mitchell's parents said they were happy with the coroner's decision.

Mr Arrow told Plymouth Coroner's Court there was no individual or organisation to whom he needed to address a "prevention of future death report". 

Ms Mitchell was found dead on the floor of her bare flat while under the care of Plymouth Community Healthcare (PCH), now known as Livewell Southwest.

Ms Mitchell died from complications relating to malnutrition

She had been living in "squalid and impoverished conditions" with no furniture, curtains or floor coverings.

At the time of her death she had only a kitchen chair and table, a microwave and a fridge in her home, and had been sleeping on a bare floor.

Her flat had no heating or hot water for the last four years of her life, and she had isolated herself from her family and professionals.

Russell and Anne Mitchell accept much has been done to prevent a similar tragedy

Outside court, her father Russell Mitchell told the BBC: "I think the purpose of the exercise was to ensure that those organisations that had a hand in my daughter's treatment have moved forward from her untimely and avoidable death.

"It's quite clear from the evidence given to the coroner that an awful lot has been done to prevent this sort of tragedy happening again."

He added that he was confident that what happened in his daughter's case was "no longer possible".

Livewell Southwest has previously admitted failings and apologised.