Coroner Warns Patients Could Die Over Lack Of Mental Health Dietitians

(Doctor. Photo by The Mirror)

A coroner has warned that vulnerable people in psychiatric hospitals could d!e because there aren't enough dietitians working on mental health wards.

Neeshat Dalal, 69, was admitted to a psychiatric ward in November 2022 after being sectioned under mental health law due to severe depression.

She hadn't been eating or drinking for about two months before admission and had attempted to take her own life three times.

While at the hospital, she was never seen by a dietitian something recommended for mentally ill patients with nutrition problems because the NHS trust couldn't afford to employ one on the ward.

She collapsed during electroconvulsive therapy in December and d!ed of a heart att@ck the following day.

An investigation found hospital staff didn't properly consider whether she was unable to eat because of vomiting rather than deliberately refusing food to end her life.

Her nutritional needs weren't met and she needed dietitian support and a faster referral to a specialist team.

The coroner warned that more people could d!e unless funding is provided for dietitians on mental health wards.

She said the shortage of specialist nutrition support isn't just a local problem but affects trusts across the country.

NHS England acknowledged that access to dietitians varies widely between different trusts.

The government said it has published new guidance to help mental health services better support patients' physical health needs.

The NHS trust involved offered condolences and agreed the issue needs urgent attention.