Coroner to probe death of 27-year-old Jamie Pearson after he was found death in toilets of Blackpool Vic A+E

Jamie Pearson was found unresponsive in the disabled toilets of the emergency department on the morning of Friday, August 16.

Mum Julie Knowles said he had been in a highly distressed state when he was brought into A&E at around 7pm the night before after taking an overdose of prescription drugs.

After an anxious four-hour wait he was ushered into the emergency ward and placed on a drip for 10 hours as medics sought to prevent damage to his liver.

Join our new WhatsApp Community to get the latest news and top stories from across Lancashire directly to your phone.

Julie was eager for Jamie to speak to the mental health team but was told he was in a safe place and would get any help he needed after he had been treated for his overdose.

Sadly, that would be too late for Jamie who was battling what doctors described as acute psychosis.

Overcome with panic and fear and tormented by paranoid delusions - a desperate Jamie took himself to the disabled toilet on the A&E ward and killed himself.

Speaking out on September 10, World Suicide Prevention Day, Julie said: “He was in a bad way, but he wanted to get better. He wanted help. That’s why he was there at A&E.

Keep updated with the latest Blackpool headlines with our free newsletter email. “He drove himself to the hospital in his van after taking an overdose of prescription tablets. But when he got there he was made to wait over four hours before they saw him and in that time, he was left to sit there with all those dark thoughts running round his head.

“They failed my son. They left him to die”

“What really upset me was the lack of compassion from those who were there to care for him.

“He was so vulnerable and suffering a breakdown, but when he asked a nurse whether he could speak to the mental health team, he was shot down.

“I was there when they told him, “we need to get you better physically first, before we can treat you for that” - but it was the way she said it - she was so blunt and impatient with him, and I saw Jamie’s face, how he shrank back into himself.

“I think the attitude of that nurse set him back, he was already feeling fragile and I think her lack of empathy affected him.

“He was still on the drip at 10am the next morning and nobody had spoken to him about his mental health or how he was feeling.

“I returned to the hospital in the morning and asked where he was, and they said he might be in the toilet.

“I checked the men’s loos but there was no sign of him. They said he might be in the disabled toilets, so I went inside and the light was off. The door to one of the cubicles was closed but no one answered when I called out.

“I tried to open the door but it was locked from inside and I felt sick in my heart. I thought, please don’t let this be Jamie.

“Staff came and prised the door open and my heart dropped. It was my beautiful boy. He’d taken his own life.”

Medics rushed Jamie to ICU in a desperate bid to save his life, but sadly, he was pronounced dead a short time later.

“Jamie’s story needs to be heard”

Julie is now seeking answers as to why her vulnerable son was left to take his own life on a hospital ward - the very place he had sought help and refuge in his darkest hour.

“Why did nobody think of checking on him? He was in that toilet for over 20 minutes?”, she asks.

“Why was he not allowed the opportunity to speak to the mental health team after his suicide attempt?

“Jamie was in the care of the hospital for 15 hours, but no one spoke to him about his state of mind?”

“He was born at Blackpool Victoria Hospital and 27 years later, that’s where his life ended,” says Julie. “It’s too painful for me to even think about.”

“It all started when he went on holiday to Spain”

In the weeks leading up to Jamie’s tragic suicide, the 27-year-old had been struggling with acute paranoia, says mum Julie.

“He had a bit of anxiety growing up, a bit of paranoia, but nothing we really had to worry about.

“Then in June, he went on holiday with his mates to Benidorm. But he came back early, and he was different.

“He came home saying people were out to get him, they were after him. He had taken some cocaine in Spain, so we thought it might be down to this, but it was getting worse and worse.

“He was saying such strange things. He was saying things that didn’t make any sense. It was like gibberish and he thought people were out to get him.

“We got him an appointment at the Harbour and he agreed to go, for my sake, but he still believed in his delusions. He believed they were really happening to him.

“The psychiatrist at the Harbour said Jamie was suffering from psychosis but was reluctant to admit him into the facility. He said medication would help, which it did, for a while.

“And that was as far as mental health support went for Jamie. We were left to try and manage his condition ourselves.

“More needs to be done for others like my Jamie, there are so many out there who need help but don’t know where to turn to.

“And when they do seek help, they’ll sometimes hit a brick wall. Things need to change. We need more support and we need it fast.

“Nothing will bring my boy back. But it’s not too late to save others, and their families from this unimaginable pain.”

“Kind, funny, talented and handsome”

“Being a single parent, we were always so close,” said Julie.

“Jamie had everything going for him. He was kind, funny, handsome, and had his own business which he was making a success. He was just so talented. He had everything to live for.

“I believe he really wanted to get better. He told me did. But I honestly believe they failed him when he needed their help the most, at the hospital. They failed in their duty of care to him and they left him to die in those toilets.”

Statement from Blackpool Vic

Marie Forshaw, Acting Executive Director of Nursing, Midwifery, Allied Health Professionals and Quality at Blackpool Teaching Hospitals, said an investigation into Jamie’s death at the hospital is under way.

She said: “The Trust, together with our colleagues at Lancashire and South Cumbria Foundation Trust, is investigating a tragic and distressing incident which occurred in A&E at Blackpool Victoria Hospital last month.

“The coroner has been informed and for this reason it feels inappropriate to give any more details, other than the family and colleagues involved are being supported by the Trust as you would expect.”

Inquest to probe the circumstances of Jamie’s death

Blackpool Coroner Alan Wilson is now set to examine the circumstances surrounding Jamie’s death to help Julie and her family get answers.

He will hold a full day inquest on September 9 at Blackpool Town Hall from 10am.

Need someone to talk to?

If you need someone to talk to, you can contact Samaritans.

They won't judge you or tell you what to do, and you can call them for free any time, day or night - call 116 123.

You can also send them an email at [email protected] or use their online chat service.