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Coroner: Trust Destroyed Records Before Death
20 Mar
Summary
- Records destroyed by trust, raising coroner's concern.
- Drug recovery program's advice on doses was confusing.
- Man died after alcohol and benzodiazepine use.
Coroner Andrew Cousins has voiced significant concerns regarding the handling of records by the Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust (CNTW) and a drug recovery programme. These concerns arose following the death of 35-year-old Darren Dickson, a mental health advisor at CNTW, who died on February 6, 2025, after consuming alcohol and benzodiazepine.
The coroner highlighted that supervision records pertaining to Mr. Dickson were destroyed by CNTW, preventing a full review of the assistance he received. He also noted that the information provided by Recovery Steps Cumbria about his drug doses was confusing, creating potential for misunderstanding regarding his treatment.
Mr. Dickson had been experiencing mental ill health after witnessing a traumatic event at work and had sought help from his employer, GP, and the recovery service. He was found unresponsive at his home on February 5, 2025, and passed away the following day in hospital.
Both CNTW and Recovery Steps Cumbria have stated they are reviewing their processes and will provide a thorough response to the coroner's report, aiming to prevent future tragedies.
