'Hospital's failures led to woman's death'

An inquest has found a woman, who died while trying to abscond from a psychiatric ward, did not intend to take her own life.

Jessica Powell, from Yeovil, Somerset, became trapped in a therapy room window in an apparent attempt to escape from Summerlands Hospital in August 2020.

A jury investigating the death of the 20-year-old ruled that staff failed to adequately supervise and secure the room.

Jane Yeandle, Somerset NHS Foundation Trust's service group director for mental health, said: "We are very sorry that she died as a result of an incident in our care."

Her father John Powell told the BBC: "It was just an error of judgement and unfortunately for Jess she just took her chance and that was the way it happened."

The hospital's failures included not updating a faulty alarm system which sent staff to the wrong room. Workers were also unable to release Miss Powell because of a lack of access from exterior and interior doors, the inquest ruled.

The jury ruled that staff "failed to adequately supervise and secure the therapy room which was fitted with windows that Miss Powell, a frequent absconder, might reasonably believe she could escape through".

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Source: BBC News, 17 December 2024