NHS payout to family of Lincoln woman hit by nine cars

The family of a Lincoln woman who stepped out into the path of oncoming traffic after telling doctors she felt suicidal will be awarded a five figure sum.

Patricia Self (61), of Hazelwood Avenue in Lincoln, was killed on January 28 2011, after she was seen running toward traffic and kneeling in the road on the Lincoln bypass.

A recent inquest into her death heard how Patricia was hit by nine cars between the A46 Carholme and Skellingthorpe roundabouts.

She was pronounced dead at the scene.

The county’s mental health service, the Lincolnshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust apologised after the coroner heard that a referral from a GP to the crisis team three weeks earlier had been made by telephone, but not backed up in writing.

The coroner also heard that she had told doctors she felt suicidal and admitted she had considered jumping from the top of Lucy Tower multi-story car park in the city centre.

Patricia first visited her GP in 2010 complaining of constant crying and sleep problems.

She had been prescribed anti-depressant medication and an appointment with a nurse at the Archway Centre in Lincoln identified no mental health problems.

She was referred to the Citizens Advice Bureau and admitted to the Haven respite centre for a week.

It was in the minutes after the crisis care team were summoned that Patricia fled her house into to path of oncoming traffic.

Interim Chief Executive at the Lincolnshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, Dr John Brewin, said: “The trust offers its sincere condolences to the family and friends of Patricia Self and we apologise unreservedly for the circumstances leading to her tragic death.

“The Trust respectfully takes full account of the observations and recommendations made by independent healthcare professionals involved in this case.

“Following our own internal investigation, we have already taken action in a number of areas to make improvements which will be subject to continual review.”