The North Essex Partnership Foundation Trust takes “full responsibility” after patient committed suicide

A MENTAL health trust has taken “full responsibility” after one of their patients killed herself.

Dorota Kijowska, 36, was found hanged from an unlocked loft hatch at The Lakes, Turner Road, Colchester.

The jury, at her inquest, ruled she committed suicide but failings by The North Essex Partnership Foundation Trust contributed to her death.

The jury foreman said: “Based on the evidence there was a failure to provide a safe environment and this, and ineffective communication, in combination more than minimally contributed to her death.”

Mrs Kijowska, a mother and wife from Fordham suffered from recurrent depression, and was being treated at The Lakes where she committed suicide in a toilet cubicle.

She attempted to kill herself on March 7 and March 9 last year.

She voluntarily entered The Lakes on March 10.

On March 20 she went on leave for the weekend.

Mrs Kijowska, a mother and wife from Fordham suffered from recurrent depression, and was being treated at The Lakes where she committed suicide in a toilet cubicle.

She attempted to kill herself on March 7 and March 9 last year.

She voluntarily entered The Lakes on March 10.

On March 20 she went on leave for the weekend.

When she returned, on March 23, her bed had been given away and she was told she would be sent on leave again.

There were only 18 beds and 22 patients requiring them at the time.

She warned staff she would kill herself if she wasn’t allowed to stay and sat on the floor of a corridor crying for more than an hour.

Mrs Kijowksa was later found hanged from a loft hatch which had been left unlocked by mistake.

Her Majesty’s Senior Coroner Caroline Beasley-Murray heard there were not enough beds for her, she was not “risk assessed” when she returned from leave or put on proper observation despite the obvious suicide risk.

Christopher Butler, interim chief executive at Nepft, said: “We deeply regret the tragic death.

“We would like to extend our sincere condolences to her family and friends.

“Sadly Mrs Kijowska died while in our care and this should not have happened and we have taken full responsibility for this.

“We have apologised to Mrs Kijowska’s family and we are very keen to provide as much support to them as possible and they can talk to us at any time.