Neglect contributed to death of Jersey mental health patient, inquest concludes

Michael Watkins died following a serious, rare reaction to antipsychotic drugs. Credit: Luke Watkins

It is probable a mental health patient in Jersey would have survived with different care, a coroner has concluded.

Michael Watkins, 60, died from cardiac arrest in August 2021 after having a rare and life-threatening reaction, known as Neuroleptic Malignant Syndrome (NMS), to antipsychotic drugs to treat his schizophrenia.

Although the coroner ruled the death was natural causes, she explained that not transferring Mr Watkins from the island's mental health facility Orchard House to the hospital where he could be given acute care, along with a delay in checking test results, amounted to neglect.

The inquest heard how Mr Watkins' blood results were available on the evening of Saturday 14 August and would have shown he was reacting negatively to the drug.

However, they were only read on the morning of Monday 16 August, the same day he died.

After seeing the results, a decision was made at 10.51am for him to be sent to the hospital.

However, he went into cardiac arrest minutes later and died.

The coroner added that if Mr Watkins had been sent to the hospital and the blood tests had been read when they were first made available, 14 August at 8:16pm, then it is probable he would have survived.

Mr Watkins was a patient at Jersey's mental health facility, Orchard House. Credit: ITV Channel

Andy Weir, the Director of Jersey's Mental Health and Adult Social Care department, said: "We wish to sincerely apologise again to the family of Mr Watkins for the acts and omissions in his care and treatment.

"We accepted entirely the findings of the serious incident learning review that was conducted following Mr Watkins’ death, including the identified care and treatment concerns within both the General Hospital and within Mental Health Services."

Mr Weir added that actions that since Mr Watkins's death, actions have been taken to lower the risk of this happening again.

He explained: "There is of course still further work to do, and we are committed to ensuring this happens.

"We would also wish to reassure people using mental health services that Neuroleptic Malignant Syndrome (NMS) is very rare indeed and ask that they contact their mental health professionals if they have any concerns."