Mental health trust failings contributed to Norfolk man’s death, coroner finds

Christopher Sidle was refused crisis admission to hospital despite warnings and died after self-harming

A series of failings by a troubled NHS mental health trust contributed to the death of a former government climate change adviser, a coroner has found.

Christopher Sidle, 51, who had a history of psychosis, fatally self-harmed on 1 July last year during a psychotic episode two days after being refused a crisis admission by Norfolk and Suffolk foundation trust (NSFT) despite warnings from his family and a trust psychiatrist, Norfolk coroner’s court heard.

In the UK, the charity Mind is available on 0300 123 3393. In the US, call or text Mental Health America at 988 or chat 988lifeline.org. In Australia, support is available at Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636, Lifeline on 13 11 14, and at MensLine on 1300 789 978