Family feels 'cheated' as inquest finds failures

Family members say they feel "cheated out of decades" after an inquest found a mother-of-five's death could have been avoided.

Nicolette McCarthy, who had mental health issues and was sectioned at Woodlands Centre for Acute Care in St Leonards, died on 19 September 2023 after being allowed to take a 15-minute break alone, despite having suicidal thoughts.

East Sussex assistant coroner Michal Spencer concluded Ms McCarthy died as a result of suicide and said: "Had staff taken prompt action, there would have been opportunities by which Nicolette's death could have been avoided."

Ms McCarthy's daughter, Elspeth Gamble, said: "I feel cheated out of decades and I’m the first of five, so there are four more children who have been cheated out of decades of life with her.”

About 80 minutes after Ms McCarthy began her break, staff realised she was missing.

The assistant coroner said: "There were a series of failures in the systems and procedures which should have guaranteed her safety."

Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust said: "We apologise unreservedly for the delay in our response when Nicolette went missing and wholly accept the jury's findings that there were failures in our processes, procedures and record keeping."

The trust explained that it was committed to improving the care it provided, and had already introduced greater safeguards to respond to the need of patients requesting breaks from its inpatient units.

Ms McCarthy, 46, worked for the NHS for 20 years as a nurse and then a midwife.

She had been diagnosed with bipolar disorder and her family said she managed it well with medication, but in September 2023 her mental health deteriorated.

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Her father, Chris Macklin, said: “We know from timescales that, had they properly followed procedures, it's pretty certain that they would have caught up with her.”

Ms McCarthy's husband, Scott McCarthy, said his wife was the family's "heart and soul".

"We believe that honestly if she had been given a bit more time she would have made a full recovery."

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