Patient at Broadmoor Hospital died after suffocating, inquest hears

A patient at Broadmoor Hospital has died after suffocating while staff were chatting outside of his room, an inquest has heard.

Aaron Clamp, a patient at the notorious high security mental health hospital Broadmoor, died on 4 January 2021 after asphyxiating whilst in his room.

The Independent understands Mr Clamp’s death may have been the first “non-natural” death since the new Broadmoor Hospital, run by West London Trust, opened in December 2019.

According to evidence heard at the inquest, staff who were meant to be carrying out continuous “eyesight” observations on Mr Clamp, were having a conversation without direct sight into his room.

Mr Clamp’s father told The Independent he was “tormented” by the criminal justice and mental health system which resulted in his “indefinite incarceration.”

“Diagnosed with a mental illness, schizoaffective disorder, the purpose of treatment was rehabilitation.  Psychiatric treatment is conventionally centred on medication to manage symptoms and risk," his father said.

He acknowledged there is a balance to be struck between managing risks and restricting patients, but closer attention of holistic compassionate care should be given.

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Source: The Independent, 3 March 2022