Ben Riches inquest: parents call for greater awareness of mental health and changes to services after coroner rules ex-soldier took his own life

Kevin and Carolyn Riches, whose former soldier son Ben was found at his home in Fleetwood in 2019, want to see an improvement in the mental health care services provided by he NHS as well as a removal of the ‘stigma’ attached to Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).

"Hopefully Lancashire health care are going to up their game – the (mental health) service is not fit for purpose and needs to change,” said Ben’s parents, who attended all three days of his inquest at Preston, along with his widow Lauren..

"The service doesn’t spend enough time with people to get them to engage. We don’t blame anyone but there were missed opportunities and It needs a system in place where mistakes are picked up before it results in someone’s death.

"It’s also important to break the stigma that surrounds mental health among service personnel. It’s important to get the message across that it’s not a sign of weakness to talk to someone about your feelings, to consult you GP in the first instance if you feel you have a problem.

"We can’t bring Ben back but hopefully changes can be made which prevent this happening to others in the future.”

Coroner’s verdict

Ben, a 30-year-old Army veteran, who served both in Iraq 2008 and then in Afghanistan in 2010, was found hanging at his home address in Fleetwood in April 2019.

Senior coroner Dr James Adeley concluded after the three-day inquest at Preston that Ben took his own life and added in his summary: “Ben’s death is a tragedy both for himself and his family and my condolences remain with them.

"The fact that so many family members have attended the entiroty of this inquest indicates how much Ben was loved and is still missed.”

Dr Adeley is to write to the chief executive of the Lancashire and South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust and the Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust for explanations of the processes by which mental health consultations are handled.

The coroner’s desire for more information follows an incident in March 2019 – just a few weeks before Ben’s death – which saw the former soldier found at the beach, having drunk eight pints, expressing thoughts of self-harm to he police and consequently taken to Blackpool Victoria Hospital.

He attempted self-harm during transfer by the police and the following day was assesses by a consultant psychiatrist Dr Zahid Khan, who Ben told he had walked into the sea as “he wanted to dip himself in and had some thoughts that were going through his head but didn’t want to share these”.

As a result of Ben’s answers to his questions, however, Dr Khan did not consider he had any power to detain him under the mental health act and Ben was returned home with a referral to the Home Treatment Team.

Ben was contacted by phone by a psychiatric nurse practitioner whom he told he no longer felt suicidal and did not need the Home Treatment Team.

The nurse referred him to the Single Point of Access referral service for treatment, using, due to a lack of awareness, a non-active email address but mental heath experts told the inquest the Single Point of Access was an inappropriate point of referral anyway.

"A considerably more assertive engagement of Ben, who was presenting as a very distressed young man, should have been made,” said Dr Adelkey.

"This should have included follow-up by the Home Treatment Team with involvement of the family and, at the very least, a booked appointment, as patients, particularly veterans, feel more compelled to attend due to a sense of discipline.

"The (Lancashire and South Cumbria NHS) Trust have since improved their systems in some aeas and acknowledged that they needed to do more to address the needs of veterans. Ben did not receive any further contact from the mental health services before he date of his death.”

Family’s thanks

Ben’s parents added: “As a family we are pleased that veteran issues have been highlighted at Ben’s inquest which will have an impact not just for veterans but also for serving members of the military getting ready for discharge.

“It has been very difficult to listen to the evidence about Ben’s mental health challenges and his struggles with alcohol, but it is clear to us that these ran side by side for Ben and that this is common in other veterans.

“We were given the opportunity to speak with surgeon Captain Darren Minshall who is the most senior psychiatrist at the Ministry of Defence. He listened to our family’s concerns with interest, showed genuine engagement, and assured us that our concerns will be looked at and addressed.

“We would like to thank all family and friends for their help and support during this difficult time and also wish to thank Gemma Vine from Ison Harrison Solicitors and our Barrister Anna Morris from Garden Court North Chambers. Their support and assistance has been invaluable.”

‘Loved by many’

Lauren Riches, Ben’s widow, said: “Ben was my best friend who would have done anything for anyone. He was witty, outgoing and loved by many. He had the best sense of humour, from his ‘facts of the day’ to his silly jokes that he thought were the best jokes ever told. He would make me feel like I was his true queen, until he lost who he was.

“We have fought all these years to get justice and to stop further failings within the system. I feel that if there had been more follow up on his mental health, I would still have my husband here. I miss you my darling, now it's time for you to rest.”

Gemma Vine, solicitor from Ison Harrison, which represented the family, said: “We are pleased that the coroner conducted such a thorough investigation and inquest into Ben’s death.

“His scope was drawn widely, specifically because he recognised the family’s concerns about Ben’s struggle with his mental health, both whilst serving and once in the community once he was discharged from the army.

“This inquest has contributed valuable understanding and recognised the challenges and struggles that a veteran will encounter once they leave military service.

"Although it is comforting that some change has been made at least by Lancashire and South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust, we hope that there is now recognition that veterans need specialist and assertive engagement and support that effectively meets their needs.”

A proud soldier

Ben had joined the army in 2005 aged 16, following in the steps of his brother. Ben was deployed to Iraq in 2007, aged 18, and during that tour faced several life-threatening actions and hostile engagements including being a victim of a roadside bomb, an incident which eventually led to hearing loss and his medical discharge in 2014.

Ben was later deployed to Afghanistan in 2010 as part of Operation Herric 12, during which a number of his friends were killed and both tours appeared to have a lasting impact on Ben.

After being deployed to Afghanistan, Ben was promoted to Lance Corporal but was demoted back to Private after an incident which saw him run naked through a farmer’s field while drunk.

Ben was medically discharged in June 2014 due to his hearing failing to meet the required standard. The following year there was a fire at Ben’s house caused by a malfunctioning tumble dryer which saw him badly burned and suffer life-changing injuries.

Ben was found hanged at his home on April 11, 2019.

Help for forces veterans is available at www.veteransgateway.org.uk