Son who killed parents 'could have had treatment'

An inquest has recovered that determination were "significant clip lapses" successful intelligence wellness attraction for a antheral who killed his parents during a psychotic episode.

James Andrews, known to his household arsenic Duncan, killed Mary, 76, and Bryan Andrews, 79, astatine their location successful Terrey Road, Totley, successful Sheffield, successful November 2022.

Senior coroner Tanyka Rawden was told connected Wednesday that helium was denied a referral to specializer services aft complaining of episodes thought to person been brought connected by epileptic seizures.

Sheffield Health and Social Care NHS Foundation Trust's interim aesculapian director, Helen Crimlisk, told the proceeding that "a fig of changes" had been made since the tragedy.

Ms Rawden said: “Had determination been regular and due enactment betwixt services, and had the aboriginal involution work referral been accepted, it is imaginable that attraction could person been given.”

Andrews was fixed an indefinite infirmary bid successful July 2023 aft helium admitted manslaughter connected the grounds of diminished responsibility.

The tribunal heard however helium had accessed intelligence wellness services successful November 2011 erstwhile helium suffered a seizure, starring to him feeling paranoid.

Andrews had complained astir having psychotic episodes, including suicidal thoughts, and told a helpline “something superior is going to happen”, said Dr Jonathan Mitchell, advisor psychiatrist.

Giving evidence, Professor Markus Reuber, honorary advisor astatine the Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, said those who were epileptic were much apt to beryllium depressed and it was “extremely common” for radical to person intelligence wellness issues specified arsenic anxiousness aft seizures.

All anti-seizure medication, specified arsenic that which Andrews had been prescribed during treatment, has broadside effects which could see depression, the tribunal was told.

A referral to Sheffield Health and Social Care’s aboriginal involution squad was refused successful mid-2022.

This determination meant an accidental to place whether Andrews' psychotic episodes were persistent was missed, the inquest successful Sheffield heard.

This referral could person helped Andrews beryllium fixed antithetic treatment, the coroner said.

It is believed that 2 days earlier Andrews killed his parents helium had 4 seizures, a study from doctors astatine the unafraid portion helium was staying astatine stated.

At the clip of the killings, helium was apt to beryllium suffering from postictal psychosis, a intelligence wellness information aft a seizure wherever the idiosyncratic tin person assertive outbursts, Prof Reuber said.

There were “clearly structural problems” successful the mode notes betwixt intelligence wellness teams and neurology teams were shared, the advisor added.

This meant doctors prescribing medicine mightiness not cognize that immoderate patients person intelligence wellness conditions unless they are specifically told, Prof Reuber added.

The coroner said determination was a interest astir connection betwixt services astatine the trust, particularly looking astatine “the narration diagnosis of epilepsy and psychotic symptoms” with Andrews.

“This led to important clip lapses betwixt treatment, and rejection to services, astir notably the aboriginal involution service.”

A prevention of aboriginal deaths study would beryllium sent to Sheffield Health and Social Care looking astatine the connection betwixt services, “in peculiar betwixt psychiatrists and neurology”, Ms Rawden said.

Mr and Mrs Andrews' daughters Sally and Lucy work retired a household connection extracurricular the coroner's court.

They described their begetter arsenic a "true Yorkshireman" who loved ballroom dancing, portion their parent was a "people person" who made lunches for aged neighbours.

Together they were called “a squad of enviable strength”.

The sisters recovered their parents fatally injured astatine their home.

Sally told the tribunal determination was “some comfortableness that we, including Duncan, were determination unneurotic for 1 last time”.

“They would person been perfectly devastated that day,” she added.

Speaking connected a video nexus from a unafraid hospital, James Duncan Andrews said: “I loved my parents close to the end. I privation this had ne'er happened.”

He thanked his sisters for their enactment during the inquest.

"We are profoundly atrocious for the tragic nonaccomplishment of Bryan and Mary Andrews successful November 2022, and our heartfelt sympathies stay with their family," Ms Crimlisk, from the NHS trust, said.

"All those progressive with Duncan’s attraction person taken contiguous steps to larn from this tragedy. We person already made a fig of changes and we volition proceed to marque improvements to code the concerns highlighted done the inquest process."

The coroner recorded a decision that Mr and Mrs Andrews were unlawfully killed.

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