Health staff left note for Keighley woman on day she killed herself (From Bradford Telegraph and Argus)

Health staff left note for Keighley woman on day she killed herself

9:00am Wednesday 22nd February 2012 in Keighley By Kathie Griffiths

The family of a nursery nurse who took her own life say she was let down by health providers.

Depressed Lynne McManus, 57, had been off sick with stomach pains that doctors could not diagnose. She was also under the care of the Bradford district health trust’s Home Treatment Team after telling Airedale General Hospital staff she had suicidal thoughts.

The day that police broke into her home in Ruth Street, Cross Roads, Keighley, and found her hanged, she had been visited by two of the team’s workers but had failed to answer the door.

They had put a note through the letterbox asking her to call them and arrange another time.

Yesterday a Bradford inquest heard how Miss McManus’s family had earlier been in touch with the team strongly expressing concerns that she was worse than ever after she received a call from her boss suggesting she should be going back to work and seeing an occupational therapist as medical tests had found nothing wrong.

Miss McManus’s sister Margaret Meakin said she had “cried and cried for days” and was worried she would end up losing her job and house. Mrs Meakin said she had been concerned the police were only called to check on her sister after she rang the treatment team and was told they had been worried about her as well.

“I was stunned that more efforts had not been made earlier to find out why she had not come to the door. I feel Lynne was badly let down. I had to force her admission into hospital, contact her GP and get her assessed at Airedale.

“She was recognised as being vulnerable, fragile and suicidal but I don’t think she was given that level of support. She should have been admitted to the psychiatric unit at Airedale and kept there until her treatment was properly bedded in.

“The trusts should be aware of what happened to Lynne so that it does not happen to anyone else.”

After the inquest, Nicola Lees, director of operations and nursing at Bradford District Care Trust, said: “We wish to offer our condolences to the family and friends at this difficult time.

“We always take matters such as this seriously and have conducted a thorough investigation into the care and treatment we provided. Lessons have been learned and an action plan has been developed.”

Miss McManus had left a note saying: “Margaret and Heather (her sister-in-law) you fought so hard for me. Please forgive me. The pain is too much.”

Assistant Deputy Bradford Coroner Tim Ratcliffe recorded a verdict that Miss McManus took her own life while the balance of her mind was disturbed.