Call for changes on Foyle Bridge after ‘preventable’ death

A coroner has said the death of a man, who died after falling from the Foyle Bridge in Londonderry, was preventable and has called for the barriers at the bridge to be raised in height.

Rory Hughes, 54, had been a patient at a mental health unit in Omagh, County Tyrone.

Despite being under a mental health order, he was allowed to leave the Western Health and Social Care Trust’s Tyrone and Fermanagh Hospital on unaccompanied leave and made his way to the bridge, where he fell to his death on 15 December 2019.

Presenting her findings at Laganside court on Wednesday, the Coroner Maria Dougan said there were “missed opportunities” to save his life.

A post-mortem carried out at the time found he died from multiple injuries and drowning.

The inquest heard evidence from the family of Mr Hughes, as well as his GP, medical professionals, the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) and the Northern Ireland Ambulance Service (NIAS).

It heard how Mr Hughes, who was diagnosed with schizoaffective disorder, had been re-admitted to the Lime Ward at the hospital under a mental health order in June 2019.

On 14 December 2019, Mr Hughes was allowed to take unaccompanied leave from the hospital.

The coroner said the doctor who signed it off “did not have the right to grant leave to a patient under the order”.

“The decision was not informed by a complex understanding of his recent history of suicidal behaviour.”

She said Mr Hughes’ “history of absconding” should have been taken into account.

Coroner Dougan said that “action is needed” on the Foyle Bridge.

“The railings and barriers ought to be raised in height to be a deterrent to persons in crisis.”

While she acknowledged the lack of funding for the work, she said “greater effort” must be made by the Department for Infrastructure, the Department of Health and Derry City and Strabane District Council.

“This should not be left to charitable agencies with limited funding.”

The Western Health and Social Care Trust was criticised by the coroner, who said it failed to “balance the therapeutic needs of the patient with safety factors”.

The court heard how Mr Hughes’ family provided important information to his carers which was not acted upon.

“The family’s emails to the ward should have been formally acknowledged. They were detailed and insightful and could have helped with treatment.”

The coroner said that “some lessons have been learned” at the trust.

In a statement to BBC News NI, the Western Health and Social Care Trust said: “As a trust, we would like to send our condolences to the family of Mr Rory Hughes.

“We will carefully consider the coroner’s findings and take forward any learning identified.”

BBC News NI has also contacted the Department of Health (DoH) and Department for Infrastructure (DfI) for comment.

In a statement, Derry City and Strabane District Council said it acknowledges the findings of the coroner and extends its condolences to the family of Rory Hughes.

“While responsibility for the maintenance and structure of the Foyle Bridge lies with the Department for Infrastructure, council acknowledges its role in public safety and mental health support very seriously and will continue to work with all relevant agencies, including the Department for Infrastructure and the Department of Health in relation to the coroner’s recommendations.”

Speaking after the hearing, Professor Siobhan O’Neill, the Mental Health Champion for Northern Ireland, said that Mr Hughes’ death was “clearly preventable”.

“There’s a lot of learning from today’s inquest, particularly around the barriers at the Foyle Bridge.

“Reducing access to methods of suicide is the last line of suicide prevention. We need to make sure that the guidance around the height of barriers on bridges, particularly where there is a history of suicide, is implemented.

“And we now need to seek action from the Department of Health and the Department of Infrastructure, as the coroner indicated, to work together with the council to make sure that the barrier is raised as a matter of urgency.”

If you have been affected by any of the issues raised in this story, information and support can be found at the BBC’s Action Line.