Dean Emrode Elie · Prevention of Future Deaths report

On the 6th day of March 2013 I opened an investigation touching the death of Dean Emrode Elie, 33 years old. The inquest concluded on the 16th December 2014. The conclusion of the inquest was "Open", the medical cause of death was 1a Unascertained due to decomposition in an individual with schizophrenia.

On the twenty-seventh of February 2013 Dean Emrode Elie was found at his home having died in his sleep.

Mr Elie suffered with paranoid schizophrenia and type 2 diabetes mellitus, and lived in a 1 bedroom flat. Mr Elie had capacity to make decisions about his treatment.

It was likely that Mr Elie was controlling his diabetes by self administering his insulin and checking his blood sugar as had he not done so it is likely that he would have become very unwell.

Mr Elie missed a number of appointments made by his GP for medication review, diabetic clinic review and for blood test between January 2012, when his last diabetic review took place and his death on the 27th February 2013.

There were concerns raised at the inquest that there did not appear to be any way of ensuring that Mr Elie attended reviews arranged by his GP.

At the inquest evidence was heard that taking into account Mr Elie's circumstances, in particular that he had capacity, detention under the Mental Health Act, even if that were possible, could not be used to provide treatment for a medical condition.

Consideration of further legislation to deal with this point.