Mother of suicide victim seeks clinical negligence compensation

Posted 11/08/2010

The mother of a man who committed suicide despite seeking help from mental health workers has launched a claim for clinical negligence compensation.

Jamie Thomas Mosey, 25, died from hanging on June 9th 2010 after his long-term relationship ended, the South Wales Guardian reports.

He had already made an attempt on his own life a month earlier and had sought psychiatric help, but was told to “pull himself together” and get a job, his mother Delyth Mosey claims.

Ms Mosey said if her son had received help instead of being labelled an attention-seeker, he may still be alive.

She is suing Hywel Dda Health Board for clinical negligence.

“The mental health department needs to answer for what they have done,” she commented.

Deputy coroner Pauline Mainwaring said at an inquest that Mr Mosey had a history of severe mental illness and psychosis.

Figures published by the Mental Health Foundation show that suicide is the most common cause of death in men under the age of 35, with males three times more likely than females to take their own lives.

Sharon Allison, a clinical negligence lawyer at Ashtons Legal, adds: “Unfortunately this is not an isolated incident. We recently represented at inquest the parents of a young man who had taken his own life, having been permitted unaccompanied leave from medical establishment. 

“In that instance, additional internal procedures have now been put in place by the hospital concerned to help prevent a similar tragedy occurring in the future, however after-the-event action won’t bring back the young man whose life has been lost. Preventive action is what is required, but our fear is that additional pressure on public sector purse strings may make the situation worse rather than better in the future”.