Mentally ill man in suicide after NHS helpline hung up
A MENTALLY ill man took his own life after an NHS 111 call handler hung up on him, an inquest has heard.
John Worthington, 32, who also had Asperger’s, phoned the helpline four times in 40 minutes. He hanged himself after an adviser ended his call on June 6 last year.
Transcripts show John, who had emotionally unstable personality disorder, said: “You are not patient enough to listen to a speech impediment.” His mum, Samantha Harrowven, said: “The clinician said he was not known to them and there was no recognition he was at risk.” But a report found an NHS crisis team had advised John to call 111. IC24, which runs the helpline, said advisers “did not communicate effectively, professionally or with appropriate warmth”. The inquest in Norwich reached a narrative verdict.