'Clear lack of understanding' between services over what to do when man died

CORONER'S BID TO PREVENT SIMILAR DEATHS

- By OLIVER PRIDMORE

A SENIOR coroner says there was a “clear lack of understanding” between medical professionals over a man who died a day after telling paramedics to leave his home.

Gunaratnam Kannan, born in Sri Lanka and living in Mansfield when, on March 19, he was pronounced dead less than 24 hours after paramedics attended his home following a 999 call.

He had taken an overdose of tablets and a coroner concluded he planned to take his own life.

But concerns have been raised about a risk of future deaths given the disagreement between health bodies about how the case should have been dealt with.

An inquest conducted by Sarah Wood, assistant coroner for Nottinghamshire, concluded on October 30 that Mr Kannan died “with the intention of ending his life”.

The 63-year-old took an overdose and died at King’s Mill Hospital, Sutton-in-Ashfield, from mixed drug toxicity, with underlying conditions including his type 2 diabetes being noted as contributing factors.

The inquest heard that Mr Kannan’s son-in-law made an emergency call at 11.14am on March 18. Mr Kannan had taken an overdose of tablets and told paramedics that he had done so to end his life, refusing to go to hospital and asking the paramedics to leave.

Paramedics and Mr Kannan’s GP, who spoke with his patient over the phone, conducted assessments and found that Mr Kannan had the mental capacity to make his decision not to go to hospital.

A further assessment can then take place under the Mental Health Act in such situations to determine whether a person needs to be taken to hospital without their consent.