Investigation and inquest
On 03 January 2024 I commenced an investigation into the death of Shaun Kenny HALL aged 36. The investigation concluded at the end of the inquest on 29 January 2025. The conclusion of the inquest was:
1a Suicide
Circumstances of the death
Shaun Hall suffered with mixed anxiety, depressive disorder and emotionally unstable personality disorder. He regularly consulted his GP for these problems. On 2 November 2023 he attended A&E at Northampton General Hospital having taken an intentional overdose of olanzapine, tramadol and paracetamol. On the advice of his GP he self-referred to NHS Northamptonshire Talking Therapies on 13 November 2023. A telephone assessment took place on 20th November 2023. The Mental Health Support Practitioner was so concerned at Shaun’s presentation that she made a referral to the Urgent Care and Assessment Team the following day. The referral was declined. Mr Hall was subsequently found deceased in the grounds of Whittlebury Hall on 14th December 2023 having hung himself.
My conclusion was suicide.
Coroner’s concerns
The assessment from Talking Therapies on 20 November 2023 identified current escalating factors around not being allowed to see his children, and an upcoming court case in relation to this on 14 December 2023. Indeed he stated that if he was not allowed to see his children he would take his own life. Despite all this information being available the Urgent Care and Assessment Team did not accept the referral.
Of grave concern is that the identity of the person at the Urgent Care and Assessment Team who declined the referral is not known and no notes were made of the referral.