Duty to hold (or reopen a suspended Inquest) – by Judy Dawson – Park Square Barristers
‘Both the deceased and her daughter were under the care of the Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust due to mental illness issues. There had been a series of incidences in which the daughter was found to have been violent or threatening to specifically her Mother and also to police officers and other carers which culminated in her being admitted to hospital pursuant to section 2 of the Mental Health Act 1983. She subsequently escaped and was then returned to hospital. A decision was made to move her to an open ward from which she absconded again and went missing, subsequently being discovered to be back at her Mother’s house. Concerns were raised between the hospital and the police about the welfare of her Mother in such circumstances and there appeared to be a dispute about the responsibility of the two authorities to act. After further concerns were raised by other family members about the disappearance of the Mother, police attended at the home and discovered the Mother’s body; her daughter was arrested in connection with her death.’
Park Square Barristers, 2nd November 2017
Source: www.parksquarebarristers.co.uk
