By Gabriel Princewill-
A man who discharged himself from the hospital against medical advice died four days later due to severe blood loss, a coroner has concluded.
Tony Sayers, 61, was admitted in April 2023 with a swollen arm after a self-administered amphetamine injection missed the vein.
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Despite receiving treatment at Southend and Basildon hospitals, Mr. Sayers left the hospital before a home care package could be established,-a decision Essex area coroner Sean Horstead deemed “unwise” and “very costly.”
Mr. Sayers initially sought medical help at Southend University Hospital on April 26, where doctors treated a haematoma resulting from his injection. He was then transferred to Basildon University Hospital’s vascular unit, where he underwent an operation to remove a pseudoaneurysm.
He once complained of inadequate care during his stay at the hospital, and once escaped from the hospital grounds to climb the top of a roof to protest.
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His wife also complained to this publication last year of sub optimal treatment by the hospital, although notably never stated that her husband had administered an amphetamine injection.
An independent review later suggested it was “probably unwise” for the orthopaedic team to explore Mr. Sayers’ arm without prior scanning, though Coroner Horstead accepted that this did not contribute to his death.
It also emerged that after discharging himself on May 11, Mr. Sayers missed two critical dressing changes. On May 15, he was found by paramedics at his home in Shoeburyness, near Southend, covered in blood after shouting, “my artery’s gone again.”
What remains unclear is what efforts the hospital made to try to secure an appointment for the critical dressing changes Mr Sayers missed.
Despite being rushed to Southend hospital, he was declared dead shortly after 04:00 BST. A post-mortem examination revealed an infection in his arm that caused a severe bleed but found no drugs in his system at the time of death.
The inquest shed light on Mr. Sayers’ troubled past, revealing that he used drugs to cope with an “incredibly challenging” childhood marked by abuse in youth institutions. Despite seeking help for his trauma over the years, he struggled to receive consistent care, often feeling “pinged around the system.”
Dawn Patience, director of nursing for the Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust, which runs both hospitals, apologized to Mr. Sayers’ family for not providing him with a change of clothing after he sat in blood-soaked clothes for several hours, and for inadequate communication with him and his family.
Diane Sarkar, chief nursing and quality officer for the trust, expressed condolences to the family, acknowledging the findings of the coroner. She emphasized the trust’s commitment to improving aftercare and working closely with mental health providers to support patients with complex needs.
The Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust, responsible for mental health services in the county, stated its ongoing efforts to collaborate with health and social care partners to deliver optimal care.
In his narrative conclusion, Coroner Horstead highlighted the tragic consequences of Mr. Sayers’ tumultuous childhood, stating, “[Mr Sayers] was a living, breathing manifestation of the tragic consequences of what his childhood had imposed upon him.”
Diane Sarkar, Chief Nursing and Quality Officer for Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust, said:
“Our deepest condolences go to the family of Mr Sayers. A review into Mr Sayers’ care has taken place and we accept the findings of the coroner. We recognise the importance of after-care for our patients and we are working closely with our mental health provider to ensure full support is given to people with mental health concerns who need medical treatment.”
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