Whistleblower warned patients at The Priory were at risk
A whistleblower warned that patients at The Priory were at risk because of understaffing just two weeks before a millionaire hanged himself within three hours of being admitted, it can be revealed.
The nurse told his boss that a lack of qualified permanent staff meant patients might not be safe and he feared ‘something very serious’ was going to happen.
The whistleblower says nothing was done to improve the situation before businessman Stephen Bantoft killed himself a fortnight later â€" despite warnings from his wife, Lucinda, that he was a suicide risk.
Father-of-three Stephen Bantoft (pictured with his wife), from Clapham, South London, arrived at The Priory on December 19, 2015. He hanged himself just hours after arriving at the clinic
At an inquest last week into the death of the 49-year-old, who suffered mental health problems, the coroner said there was an ‘under-appreciation’ of the situation the nurse who discovered Mr Bantoft found herself in, citing the fact there should have been another nurse on duty on the ward, according to The Priory’s staffing guidelines.
Father-of-three Mr Bantoft, from Clapham, South London, arrived at The Priory on December 19, 2015, and was admitted to the West Wing, which treats patients with substance additions.Â
His wife sent their daughter a reassuring text message saying ‘You can relax now, Daddy’s safe’, but within three hours he was dead.
On December 6, the whistleblower, who worked on a separate ward, had emailed his manager: ‘I have some serious concerns regarding the safety and care of patients on Garden Wing mainly due to the lack of experienced RMNs [registered mental health nurses] on the ward.
‘In recent weeks, the ward has been very chaotic. I am very concerned that if these matters are not addressed, then something very serious is going to happen.’Â
His manager replied three days later, suggesting they meet to discuss his concerns. The meeting never took place as the whistleblower was off work sick and his manager was off when he returned.
A whistleblower warned that patients at The Priory (pictured) were at risk because of understaffing just two weeks before a millionaire hanged himself
Last night, the nurse told The Mail on Sunday: ‘If my concerns had been acted upon, Stephen Bantoft might still be alive.’
At the inquest, assistant coroner Dr Shirley Radcliffe recorded a narrative verdict, stating that she could not be sure Mr Bantoft had intended to kill himself.
She noted that The Priory had since made improvements to pre-admission risk assessments, including the requirement that assessments must start within an hour of the patient arriving. Safer rooms had been introduced for high-risk patients and ligature points on windows had been covered by screens, she added.
A Priory spokesman said after the inquest: ‘No safety improvements have been required and no change of staffing levels suggested. Staffing levels remain consistent with accepted norms within the sector.’
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