Investigation and inquest
On 2/9/2021 an investigation was opened into the death of Gareth WILLIAMS
The investigation concluded at the end of the inquest on: 17/8/22
The conclusion of the inquest was recorded as:
Suicide
The medical cause of death was:
1a) Suspension by ligature
2 Tinnitus
Circumstances of the death
Gareth Williams was a 45-year-old man who had a history of sensorineural hearing loss and intermittent tinnitus dating back to 2005. He was also treated for depression and insomnia.
In early 2021 the situation deteriorated. Gareth’s tinnitus worsened but despite being thoroughly examined by the ENT team there was no physiological problem that could be treated.
As a result, Gareth’s mental health went into decline. He suffered worsening depression and was referred to mental health team after he started having suicidal thoughts and indeed acting these out.
Written evidence from the Consultant Psychiatrist treating Gareth, stated Gareth was not clinically depressed, although evidence also indicated that he had low mood, was expressing hopelessness and experienced suicidal thoughts. Gareth was discharged from the mental health team because he had no recognisable mental illness.
On 23/8/21, Gareth was discovered hanging ████████ in Abergavenny. Emergency services attended but Gareth could not be revived. His death being confirmed at 15:27 hours.
Coroner’s concerns
Gareth Williams found himself in a no-win situation. His mental health could not be improved without a resolution to his hearing problems and his tinnitus was untreatable. During the course of his treatment, Gareth was regularly transferred back to the “other” team, being told that either mental health or ENT was the most appropriate speciality.
I found that Gareth was left without sufficient support, falling between 2 teams, who did not directly communicate with each other.