Robin Ward
18 Oct 2024 · Coroner Hassan Shah · Northamptonshire
This report repeats 3 earlier warnings. See the linked reports.
The coroner's concerns
1. acute mental health bed shortage
“there are increasing pressures both locally and nationally with regards to the provision of acute mental health beds”
2. use of crisis house for acute mental health care
“we try to avoid supporting those waiting for an acute bed within crisis houses and continue to use out of area provisions as required and where appropriate”
3. delayed psychological assessment
“long waiting times for psychological assessment”
Linked reports
Closely relatedConfidence 0.80 · moderate
Earlier report
“national shortage of acute mental health beds necessitating the use of out of county placements for patients requiring hospitalization”
This report
“there are increasing pressures both locally and nationally with regards to the provision of acute mental health beds”
Closely relatedConfidence 0.90 · high
Earlier report
“Timely access to Healthy Minds is also hindered by long waiting times.”
This report
“Another particular problem identified was the long waiting times for psychological assessment.”
Closely relatedConfidence 0.85 · high
Earlier report
“The inquest heard that [the deceased] was kept in an acute hospital setting at Salford Royal Hospital awaiting a mental health bed due to a shortage of mental 2 health beds”
This report
“there are increasing pressures both locally and nationally with regards to the provision of acute mental health beds”
Responses
2026-0278-Response-from-Department-of-Health-and-Social-Care-.pdf ↗· Department of Health and Social Care
Stated action
“I have asked NHS England to provide me with a report from the ICB detailing the local position so that I can understand what actions are being taken locally to prevent such a case from happening again.”