THE NHS in Herefordshire has been criticised after the death of a patient who had been waiting "several months" for an appointment.

Herefordshire senior coroner Mark Bricknell wrote to the Herefordshire and Worcestershire Health and Care NHS Trust, which runs the Stonebow Unit near Hereford County Hospital, to say he was concerned similar deaths could happen in the future.

In the report to the clinical lead at Herefordshire and Worcestershire Healthy Minds, he said Terri Ann Malone's death was alcohol-related, and the NHS could have done more.

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Ms Malone was drinking excessively and probably died from ketoacidosis as a consequence of excessive alcohol consumption, the report said. An inquest was opened on February 9, 2022 and concluded on October 10 that year.

But it said that at the time of her death, she was also known and had received assistance from adult safeguarding, Hereford Recovery Service, the mental health crisis team, the police and others.

Mr Bricknell said there was a risk that future deaths could happen unless action is taken, and he was required to highlight this.

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He said patients' initial contact with Healthy Minds was with an inexperienced practitioner and a decision was made regarding a treatment plan without any direct contact being made by an experienced practitioner.

They can then be discharged from the service after failing to attend an appointment, or respond to a voicemail, despite being made to wait "several months" for an appointment. A person's circumstances at the time are also not established.

The NHS was given a deadline to reply, which had to set out details of action taken or proposed to be taken, setting out the timetable for action. Otherwise, it must explain why no action was proposed.