Wickham mother died after NHS refused help, family says

Wickham mother died after NHS refused help, family says

The tragic case of Samantha Young, a 49-year-old woman from Wickham, Hampshire, who took her own life in November 2023, has raised serious concerns about the mental health support provided by NHS services. Samantha’s family has revealed that she had repeatedly sought help from NHS mental health workers in the last days of her life but was turned away each time. According to her family, Samantha begged to be admitted to a mental health unit to prevent her from taking her own life.

A teaching assistant by profession, Samantha had long struggled with mental health issues exacerbated by the stress of a marriage breakdown and relocation. Despite her efforts to seek medical treatment and support, including contacting emergency and mental health services three times in the final days of her life, she did not receive the help she desperately needed. The Coroner’s Prevention of Future Deaths Report highlighted the failures of the NHS trust in assessing Samantha’s risk properly and providing adequate support.

Samantha’s family firmly believes that the neglect and refusal of the Community Mental Health Team to intervene effectively contributed to her tragic death. They expressed their disappointment in the mental health team’s actions, stating that Samantha’s pleas for help were ignored, leaving her vulnerable and ultimately leading to her untimely demise. The family’s solicitor, Julia Reynolds, emphasized that Samantha, a devoted mother, deserved the support she was crying out for, and the lack of intervention from the NHS services was unacceptable.

The negligence of the NHS mental health services in Samantha Young’s case has prompted legal action by law firm Leigh Day. They have called out the failure of NHS staff to assess Samantha’s risk adequately and provide the necessary assistance she needed to safeguard her well-being. The family and their legal representatives are seeking justice for Samantha’s unnecessary death and are demanding accountability from the Hampshire & Isle of Wight Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust. The trust has been given a deadline to address the coroner’s concerns regarding their handling of Samantha Young’s mental health crisis

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