Gary Mavin: Wife's shock at poor care before suicide death

The wife of a man who took his own life at a mental health unit after a doctor thought he was feigning symptoms has described his care as "shocking".

Gary Mavin was an inpatient for three weeks at the Priory Hospital in Arnold, Nottinghamshire, in August 2020.

A coroner found "inexplicable failings" by the hospital and called it "one of the worst examples of care provided to a vulnerable patient".

The Priory said there had been many changes since Mr Mavin's death.

Lea Mavin told the BBC her 54-year-old husband entered the Priory after being diagnosed with psychosis at the city's Queen's Medical Centre (QMC), following an overdose.

However, his inquest heard the QMC's diagnosis was not recorded on Mr Mavin's notes.

At the Priory, he told staff he could hear voices and feared being discharged, as he thought a gang was going to attack him at home.

His inquest heard Dr Daniel Moldavsky, who had been assigned Mr Mavin's case, ignored this, believing Mr Mavin, a father-of-three, was "malingering" to get better housing.

"It is shocking to think the experts could get it so wrong," said Mrs Mavin.

"Nothing was done to treat him."

Nottingham's assistant coroner Laurinda Bower said the misdiagnosis resulted in him not being given the right treatment.

"It was very upsetting to hear there was medication and treatment which could have helped Gary very effectively and very quickly if he had been given it," said Mrs Mavin.

Mrs Mavin said she had been unable to visit her husband due to coronavirus restrictions and said the family were not kept informed of his treatment by the hospital.

"We told him he was in the best place and they knew how to help him," she added.

"In hindsight it makes you feel that you should have done more.

"I feel like I should have been stronger and more assertive with the hospital.

"I should have just gone down and demanded to speak to the staff, but I thought they knew what they were doing."

Baishali Clayton, from Nelsons law firm which represented the family, said: "There was a catastrophic number of errors that culminated in what happened.

"Gary and his family were let down in so many ways.... he should never have ended up in that situation.

"He was under the care of somebody who I don't feel should have been in that role and I don't know how he managed to get away with his behaviour as a clinician with that much power."

She said they hoped by highlighting this case it would bring closure to the Mavin family and prevent mistakes being repeated.

Dr Moldavsky, who was the consultant psychiatrist at the Priory, is now working in Israel.

During the inquest, he said he would have treated Mr Mavin differently had he thought he was suffering from a psychotic disorder.

"Any time I can't help a patient it stays with me for the rest of my life," he said.

Coroner Ms Bower said she would contact the General Medical Council (GMC) about Dr Moldavsky.

A GMC spokesperson said it had not yet been contacted by the coroner and added: "We will look into this and will take whatever action maybe be necessary to protect patients."

A hospital spokesman apologised for Mr Mavin's care, "including the misdiagnosis by a consultant psychiatrist who no longer works for the hospital".

He added: "We have made a number of improvements at the hospital, which is making significant progress under a new leadership team.

"Specifically, there are weekly meetings between Priory consultants across the region to discuss patient diagnoses, facilitated by two medical directors."

He said other changes included enhanced staff training, a "risk screening" protocol for new patients, and the introduction of lead nurses who provide additional expertise and support on wards.

Follow BBC East Midlands on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram. Send your story ideas to [email protected].