‘He went to hospital as a physically healthy young man but never came home. Now we want answers’
Mental health trust under scrutiny after patient deaths
- A mental health trust, Black Country Healthcare Foundation Trust, faces intense scrutiny over multiple patient deaths and an alleged "culture of fear" putting patients at risk.
- Adrian Francis, 33, died in June 2023 after being forcibly medicated at Hallam Street Hospital, leading to a catatonic state and physical deterioration, with an internal review highlighting "systemic issues".
- Shannon Lee Jordan, 21, died at the same hospital three months earlier, with an inquest finding a healthcare worker's failure to conduct regular checks possibly contributed to her death.
- Further allegations against the trust include alleged sexual assaults on patients by a staff member, patients left in isolation for days without monitoring, and additional deaths at other trust-run hospitals.
- Senior doctors have raised concerns about a "conspiracy of silence" and ignored complaints, leading to a vote of no confidence in management, while NHS England and the CQC are investigating the trust's practices.