Inquest concludes Jayden Booroff died after inconsistencies in care at The Linden Centre

An inquest jury has concluded that Jayden Booroff died following inconsistencies in care at The Linden Centre, an acute mental health hospital in Essex run by Essex Partnership University Trust (“EPUT”). 

Jayden died after absconding from The Linden Centre on 23 October 2020.  He was able to leave despite being detained pursuant to s.2 Mental Health Act 1983, at a time when he was considered a danger to himself and experiencing psychosis.  He was allowed to tailgate a healthcare assistant through 3 controlled doors without being observed.  When the staff member tried to prevent him leaving, she was unable to call for help as she did not have her emergency pinpoint alarm. 

The Jury had heard evidence there had been 9 previous incidents of absconding through tailgating from the Linden Centre between 2017 – 2020, with one incident involving the doors to the Finchingfield Ward (where Jayden had been detained).

The Jury identified a number of contributing factors that led to Jayden’s absconsion, lack of capture, and subsequent death.  These included that there were a number of structural and environmental vulnerabilities at The Linden Centre that impacted staff and patient security and safety.  The Jury identified inconsistencies with the level of patient care, record keeping and communication as a further contributing factor. 

The Jury concluded that the layout of the Linden Centre was not appropriate for ensuring the safety of its more vulnerable patients.  They said procedures around pin point alarms were inadequate.   

An inquiry is currently considering deaths at The Linden Centre between 2000 and 2020.  Jayden’s mother, Michelle Booroff has expressed her support for the campaign organised by Melanie Leahy, whose son, Matthew died in 2012, for that inquiry to be a full statutory inquiry. 

Angela Patrick represented Ms Booroff, instructed by Aimee Brackfield of Simpson Millar.  

Reporting on the Inquest and its conclusion can be found here (BBC), here (ITV) and here (Essex Live).