Mental Health Visit Canceled for Man Found Dead Hours Later

A mental health professional acknowledged that the cancellation of a scheduled visit to an individual, who was subsequently discovered deceased near a railway line on the same day, constituted a “huge mistake”. During an inquest into the passing of Liverpool resident Dan Kay, it was revealed that he had been admitted to a hospital on 1 May last year due to self-inflicted neck injuries. The 45-year-old, a former journalist for the Liverpool Echo and a Hillsborough campaigner, was discharged from the hospital with an expectation of daily welfare checks. However, these visits were reduced to every other day, and no visit was planned for 7 May, the date of his death. Matthew Wigley, a member of the Mersey Care crisis team, informed the inquest that he was unaware of the reason for the cancellation of the 7 May visit, stating: “It was a huge mistake and I’m sorry.” During cross-examination by Dr Cian Murphy, a barrister representing Mr Kay’s relatives, Mr Wigley conceded that Mersey Care’s established protocol—which involves detailing the required level of care and assigning a designated lead social worker—had not been adhered to. The inquest was informed that Mr Kay had consumed an overdose of antidepressants and paracetamol in late April, preceding the incident where he injured himself with a knife. On Tuesday, testimony at the inquest indicated that Mr Kay had “gone downhill” following the necessity to euthanize his pet dog, which had become aggressive and assaulted his friend. A determination was made at the Royal Liverpool Hospital that his detention was not required. Mental health nurse Meghan McGee faced repeated inquiries regarding her failure to initiate the procedure for his detention under the Mental Health Act, particularly given her awareness of his suicide attempt 26 years prior. She testified that during a three-hour discussion, Mr Kay conveyed to her that he had no intention of acting on his suicidal ideations and expressed a desire for assistance and support. Ms McGee remarked: “You could tell he was interested in people, his eyes lit up like crystals when he spoke of his pride in journalism, supporting the underdog and fighting for justice.” She further stated that she had been left with “no concerns” that Mr Kay posed an immediate danger to himself. “As he stood up to leave he asked me for a hug and said, ‘I’ll see you in Allerton Road Tesco when I’m better’.” The assistance Mr Kay was meant to be provided encompassed daily visits, a prescribed course of medication, and a comprehensive treatment plan. Stephen Potter, a Mersey Care social worker and registered nurse, testified at the inquest that he had expected to visit Mr Kay on 7 May and was taken aback upon discovering the appointment was absent from his schedule for that specific day. He stated that he had been informed Mr Kay had canceled the meeting to spend time with friends. However, Mr Potter acknowledged that no documentation supported this claim. Assistant coroner Joseph Hart observed that there was “no note of when the call was made, who took it, no reason given and no explanation”. Mr Potter recounted making efforts to reach Mr Kay on 7 May, and “jumped out of [his] chair” upon encountering an online news report detailing the discovery of a body on the railway line near Mr Kay’s residence in South Liverpool. He mentioned calling again and commencing his daily notes. During cross-examination by Dr Murphy, Mr Potter conceded that he had not adhered to the care plan, which stipulated contacting the police and Mr Kay’s friend Steve Kelly if he was unable to establish contact with Mr Kay. The ongoing inquest is being held at the Gerard Majella Courthouse in Liverpool. For further content, listeners can access the best of BBC Radio Merseyside on Sounds and follow BBC Merseyside on Facebook, X, and Instagram. Story ideas can also be submitted to northwest.newsonline@bbc.co.uk. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC disclaims responsibility for the content of external websites. Information regarding our external linking policy is available for review.