Police are probing the deaths of two patients at a private mental health hospital.
Joanna Bailey, whose death is being re-examined by police
Norfolk Police are looking at the deaths of Joanna Bailey, 36, and Ben King, 32, at Cawston Park Hospital in Norwich.
Bailey, who had a learning disability, epilepsy and sleep apnoea, died in April 2018.
Failed to resuscitate
The hospital was short staffed at the time and workers failed to attempt to resuscitate her.
A serious case review by Norfolk Safeguarding Adults Board found major failures.
As well as the deaths of Bailey and King, the review also examined the death of Nicholas Briant, 33.
King died following a heart attack, while Briant swallowed a piece of a plastic cup.
Three deaths within two years
All three died within just over two years of each other.
The review prompted police to look again at Bailey’s death.
In a statement, the force said her death would be ‘re-examined’.
The serious case review detailed how Norfolk Police studied video footage from the day King died.
The review said footage showed how a carer ‘rough handled him’ and hit his head area ‘with an open hand’.
Appeal for the carer
After the review, Norfolk Police issued an appeal for the carer, Dami Tobi Ayans, to come forward.
Police say a man in his 60s has since come forward and they interviewed him.
And the investigation into King’s death is “ongoing”.
Cawston Park owners, the Jeesal Group, closed the facility in May. This followed inspectors putting it into special measures, saying it had not improved.
‘Medication, restraint, seclusion and observations’
Margaret Flynn wrote the serious case review.
In an email, she wrote that treatment at Cawston Park hinged on ‘medication, restraint, seclusion and observations’.
Autism Eye contacted the Jeesal Group, but it did not respond.
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- Independent medics sent into hospital
- Hospital placed in special measures
- Huge surge in hospitals using restraint
- Social workers aim to cut hospital stays
- Hospital brought out of special measures
- Still stuck in mental health hospitals
- Spotlight on hospital care
- Families fight detention ‘scandal’
Published: 21 September 2021
