Social worker raised mental health fears, inquest hears

Lowri Miller's social worker raised fears that she had spoken about ending her own life

A woman who died a day after being discharged from a mental health unit had threatened to kill herself, an inquest has heard.

Lowri Miller, 32, from Beddau, Rhondda Cynon Taf, was found dead at a friend's house in February 2020.

She had been discharged from the unit at Royal Glamorgan Hospital the previous day, despite concerns raised by her social worker and family.

Pontypridd Coroner's Court heard procedures had since been changed.

Social worker Emma Roberts told the inquest that Ms Miller had said she "did not want to be alive any more" and had a plan to end her life.

"She was frustrated by the response she was getting from the clinicians and the team. She felt like she was asking for help and nobody was listening," she added.

Ms Roberts said she tried to raise those concerns with the doctor who decided to discharge her from hospital but was told he was in another meeting and unavailable.

"The discharge did not sit comfortably with me," she said.

Ms Miller had been diagnosed with an emotionally unstable personality disorder and had a long history of mental ill-health stretching back to her teenage years, the court heard.

She was admitted to the hospital in Llantrisant after taking an overdose on 2 February. She took a further overdose on 5 February while in the hospital's mental health unit.

Lowri Miller had a history of mental ill-health

When visiting Ms Miller in the unit the following day, Ms Roberts discovered a meeting that she was unaware of was being held to discuss her discharge.

Ms Roberts said she was not asked for her views while Ms Miller became "increasingly agitated and frustrated" during the meeting.

"She wanted to stay in hospital, she didn't feel able to keep herself safe. She said she didn't want to be alive, she had a plan to end her life."

Ms Miller had been told by clinicians how to access mindfulness courses and community support.

Ms Roberts was unable to speak to the doctor but raised her concerns with nurse Jordan Jones, who had attended the meeting and said he would inform the doctor.

"The level of hopelessness was something I had never seen before. I wanted to make clinicians aware, my line manager aware. I was concerned about what Lowri was telling me," she said.

Since Ms Miller's death, Ms Roberts said procedures had changed and care coordinators could now escalate concerns over a discharge decision to senior nursing staff.

The inquest continues.

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