Man took his own life at Chesterfield Royal Hospital, coroner concludes

Stephen Jackson, 46, of Stubley Lane, Dronfield Woodhouse, hanged himself in a room at the Calow hospital.

MORE: Chesterfield Canal Trust thanks public for support after HS2 opposed major plans

Following an inquest last week, a coroner concluded Mr Jackson died by suicide.

Chesterfield Coroner’s Court heard Mr Jackson was prescribed antidepressants by his GP in April, 2018.

During the morning of April 28, an allegation of assault was made against Mr Jackson which ‘clearly worried him greatly’, the inquest was told.

He went missing from his home on April 28 and was found by police after taking a large overdose and expressing suicidal intent.

After being found, he was taken to the Royal’s emergency department and put on an infusion to treat the overdose which would take 21 hours.

The doctor who saw Mr Jackson in the emergency department considered him to be at ongoing suicidal risk, the court heard.

Mr Jackson was initially placed in a shared bay to complete the infusion but was moved to a single room ‘due to perceived risk to others on account of allegations’.

He tragically died in the room on April 30.

Recording a conclusion of suicide, coroner Peter Nieto said: “On the balance of probabilities, Mr Jackson undertook a deliberate act in hanging himself given the nature of the act, the recent overdose which indicates his state of mind, and he did not summon any help from nursing staff.”

A spokesperson for Chesterfield Royal Hospital offered their ‘sincere condolences’ to Mr Jackson’s family.

They added: “Following this incident we initiated a number of improvements relating to the care of patients with potential mental health conditions.

“As a matter of routine, an additional assessment of patients transferred from our emergency department to other wards and services now takes place – with support from our mental health liaison team.

“All staff within the department follow a structured mental health training and education programme and we also undertook an extensive review of our patient environments to ensure that every possible measure is taken to safeguard patients and reduce risk of harm.”

When life is difficult, Samaritans are here – day or night, 365 days a year. You can call them for free on 116 123, email them at [email protected] or visit samaritans.org to find your nearest branch.

MORE: Family of Chesterfield FC legend Ernie Moss reveal how he’s doing as they fundraise for Dementia UK

Editor’s message

Thank you to all who support local journalism with a print subscription. The events of 2020 mean trusted, local journalism is more reliant than ever on your support. We couldn't do it without you. Please subscribe at www.localsubsplus.co.uk so we can keep campaigning on your behalf. Stay safe.