Suicide verdict from Coroner in Truro

A brief verdict, from the Coroner in Truro Coroner’s Court yesterday confirmed Christine McClean’s suicide. She was discovered drowned in the Penryn River in November 2014.

Christine McClean, known to all as Tina was born in Omagh, Co Tyrone where she grew up to be a respected child care worker, community leader and active church member.

Tina relocated to Falmouth, Cornwall in 1994 where she continued to work in the care industry, but at the other end of the age spectrum starting as a manager at Bethan y Retirement Home in Falmouth before moving on to become a Manager of Falmouth Mencap Residential Unit and on then to the Swallowcourt Group at which time she also relocated to the Hayle area in order to manage their Residential Unit for adults with learning disabilities.

Tina chose semi-retirement in 2013 which should have led to new opportunities for her to follow but instead was followed by the breakup of her marriage followed by a further change in her circumstances the saw Tina being made redundant.

Tina struggled to deal with these changes and slipped into a state of depression which grew and developed over many months for which her family, despite all their efforts, could not help her recover from.

Concerns were raised by the family about the level of support and treatment that were made available to Tina during this low time in her life which ultimately led to her untimely death.

The catalogue of errors made in the professional care provided to Tina has ultimately led to an apology being offered to the family from those responsible for her care at the Cornwall Partnership NHS Foundation Trust.

Tina was 58 when she died and is survived by her four children and loving grandchildren. Tina the mother, granny, sister and friend is deeply missed by her family and friends and her loss is deeply felt.

A spokesperson for the family stated “The family live in the hope that the mistakes made in the care of Tina are taken into consideration by those responsible for their delivery and are learned from so as not to be repeated and that other families do not have to experience similar pain.”

Solicitors at Hodge Jones & Allen and Thomas Challacombe, Barrister of KBG Chambers are acting for the family.

Agata Usewicz, partner at Hodge Jones & Allen commented “The Trust has made a number of changes in the wake of Tina’s tragic and untimely death. While the family have taken comfort from this, it is disappointing that it took such an event to prompt a review of procedures dealing with some of the most vulnerable patients in their care.”