A vulnerable woman suffering from mental health problems has died after ‘running away’ from a supermarket on ‘holiday’ with a support worker.
Hayley Cowan, 29, who was detained under the Mental Health Act, fled as she and her support worker went to the toilet at a nearby Tesco store in Prestwich, Bury, Greater Manchester. According to the report, she was found dead the next day after taking drugs at a friend’s house.
The coroner highlighted a “lack of consistency” in how “accompanied holidays” and “accompanied holidays” are defined. As a result, she wrote to the Department of Health and Social Care and Home Secretary James Cleverly to “prevent future deaths”.
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Mrs Cowan died on 4 June 2022. An inquest at Rochdale Coroner’s Court ruled that she died as a result of an accident, with the medical cause of death confirmed as “adverse event arising from the use of mixed drugs”.
A recent Prevention of Future Deaths report by Manchester North coroner Joanne Kearsley revealed Ms Cowan had been detained under the Mental Health Act since July 2021 following the incident where she set fire to her flat. She had a “long history of involvement with mental health services” and had previously been detained, according to the MEN.
Ms Cowan, who has been diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia and ADHD, was described in the report as a risk to herself and others and also had a “long history of illicit drug use”.
She was detained at Prestwich Hospital’s Edenfield Unit, which is run by Greater Manchester Mental Health and Social Care Trust. After responding well to anti-psychotic medication, the report reveals Ms Cowan has been given time off.
“There were times when she left with an escort and after progress it was occasionally unescorted,” Ms Kearsley said.
“Her holiday also progressed from the hospital grounds to the local Tesco store opposite and occasionally to the local village. On at least two occasions Hayley ran away and ran away from the staff with her. She was taking drugs.” and then he went back to the hospital.”
“At all times she was considered to be a flight risk, which was driven by her compulsion to use drugs. On 3 June 2022 Hayley was granted leave with an escort to a local Tesco store. Both Hayley and the support worker needed to use the toilet and during this time Hayley was found dead the following day , because she was using drugs at a friend’s house where she went.”
The inquest heard: “Staff had no instructions on what to do when they needed to use the toilet. Instructions were given on what to do when a patient needed to use the toilet and was therefore out of sight.”
The coroner raised serious concerns during the inquest, as Ms Kearsley highlighted in her report: “The court heard evidence of a lack of consistency and clarity for mental health trusts in understanding and defining how section 17 leave should be exercised.”
“Guidance on whether a patient should remain in ‘eye line’ or at a ‘reasonable distance’ is inconsistent. Mental Health Act codes of practice, Ministry of Justice guidance to forensic providers and trust policy are inconsistent. particularly when considering whether a patient needs to be “in line of sight” or “reasonable distance” away on vacation.
“There is also no guidance for trusts to instruct staff on practical matters such as what to do if a member of staff needs the toilet while out with a patient.”
The Department of Health and Social Care offered its condolences to Ms Cowan’s loved ones and said it takes any news about preventing future deaths seriously and wants to learn from them. The MEN have approached the Greater Manchester Mental Health and Social Care Trust for comment.
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