The family of a “devoted mum” was reassured by staff at a mental health hospital they would “keep her safe”, the night before nurses found her unresponsive in her room, an inquest heard.
Donna Levin was a patient at Roseberry Park Hospital in Middlesbrough, under the Tees, Esk and Wear Valley (TEWV) NHS Foundation Trust, for just a week before an incident in her room saw her admitted to intensive care.
The 54-year-old mum of three, from Stockton, had suffered an “extensive and irreversible” brain injury and died at James Cook University Hospital four days later on January, 8, 2020.
An inquest before a jury at Teesside Coroners' Court began on Monday (July 21) and heard the special needs teacher began to struggle with her mental health in August and September 2019.
Despite intervention from doctors and support from husband Stuart and kids Ben, Anna and Katie, her mental health only began to worsen and became “unbearable”, Stuart told the court.
The inquest heard Donna struggled with broken sleep from constant suicidal thoughts and was eventually taken in to Roseberry Park on December 28 and was put on the Bransdale Ward.
But on her first night there she was "ignored" by staff when she said she couldn't sleep, her husband claimed.
He told the court: “She told me that on the night she hadn’t been able to sleep so she went to the nurses office. Someone looked out the window and saw her then turned her back on Donna and sat down.
“She said she got sent back to her room and the impression she got from the staff took away her confidence and reassurance.”
The next day, after picking her up to spend time with family, Stuart told the inquest jury Donna said to "let her go" and "she had to do it because there was no other way”.
He added: “Donna insisted she didn’t want to go back there (Roseberry Park). She was pleading with me to let her stay at home.
“I started to get really emotional as I didn’t know what to do.”
Donna was taken back to Roseberry Park but her family raised concerns to staff when they noticed a pattern of what they perceived as suicidal behaviour including an apparent note hidden in her room.
Taking to the stand, Donna’s daughter Anna Levin said hospital staff reassured her they were listening and would “keep her safe”, but the following morning they were told Donna had been found unresponsive.
In an emotional statement read to the court, Donna’s husband Stuart teared up as he paid tribute to his “wonderful wife”.
He said: “Donna was a very friendly, outgoing person with a beautiful, gregarious personality. She was always full of joy and went through life with a permanent smile. She was full of fun and happy to have a go at anything.
“She loved her job and put her heart and soul into it and wanted her students to reach their full potential.
“Donna had a massive heart, filled with love and compassion for others. She went out of her way to to support her friends and colleagues.
Read more:
“She was a devoted mum who adored our three children, and a wonderful wife. Today our family is missing a wonderful personality and one of the nicest people you could ever meet.
“We are devastated at what has brought us here today and are left with a hole in our lives with pain that sometimes seems unbearable.
“Every day without Donna is a day closer to us being reunited.”
Share