Redditch family criticise support for son before suicide

The family of a 22-year-old man who was suffering with mental health issues and took his own life claim he was failed by the local NHS.

Jamie Bagagiolo, from Worcestershire, sent a text to his father just hours before he died on 31 January saying: "I just want help and they never do".

His family say he struggled to get both support and medication.

Herefordshire and Worcestershire Health and Care NHS Trust and his GP practice say they are investigating.

His mother Nikki Lloyd accused the trust and local GPs of just paying "lip service" to mental health.

"It's just a word," she said. "They come up with all their hash tags and it's all 'let's talk'." But she said her son had been let down despite being in terrible pain - pain she could understand since his death.

Mr Bagagiolo, who was diagnosed with Asperger's syndrome and had a relationship breakdown, was taken to Hereford County Hospital on 27 November after taking an overdose.

His sister, Ellie, said he was kept in for 24 hours and seen briefly by a mental health nurse, who asked him if he wanted to be sectioned and he said no.

He was allowed to leave and by then was already taking a variety of medication, which included anti-psychotic drugs, sleeping tablets, and anti-depressants.

Herefordshire and Worcestershire Health and Care NHS Trust said it could not comment on individual cases, but in a statement said its mental health liaison team supported people who arrived at A&E with a serious mental health condition.

"Our staff will assess a person's condition and agree the next steps, which often includes a referral to the appropriate service."

Mr Bagagiolo's family claim in his case there was no referral and no review of his medication.

His mother said the family had also been in contact with the mental health trust's crisis team, but had been told that there was a six-month waiting list.

Mr Bagagiolo briefly moved to Bournemouth to be with his sister, who said he would punch his head persistently and scratch his stomach.

She said she could not get him into accommodation near her, and he moved to Redditch on 29 December, but struggled to get medication and could not get a face-to-face appointment with a GP.

He sent various text messages to his father on 21 January asking for more medication, before contacting him again on 31 January to say he had tried to kill himself the night before and needed a doctor's appointment.

His father contacted GPs at Winyates Health Centre, who advised that his son call 999 and go to A&E - a GP would call later.

Mr Bagagiolo replied in a text to his father: "I just want help and they never do... I've got to call and wait for someone to tell me I'll be fine again."

His mother said the response from the health centre made him "flip".

"He just said basically 'what's the point?' He said 'I'll go in there just for them to tell me I'm fine', and that was it. Six hours later he was dead," she said.

The health centre said while it could not discuss individual cases, it was not aware of any issues with medication and it had a strict policy to ensure medication was issued safely.

It added reception staff were trained to ensure patients receive the right kind of appointment which could be offered on the same day.

The family said the mental health crisis team called Mr Bagagiolo's father on 1 February, the day after Jamie died.

Herefordshire and Worcestershire Health and Care NHS Trust said the average waiting time for a routine assessment was 48 days, although it aimed to see urgent referrals much sooner.

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