An inquest has opened into the death of a young Black woman whilst she was a patient in an Essex mental health unit, which provided care for patients with personality disorders.
Edwige Nsilu was 20 years old when she died while detained under the Mental Health Act as an inpatient at Colne Ward, St Andrew’s Healthcare Essex. She died on 5 February 2020 at Basildon University hospital, following a ligature incident on the ward at St Andrews on 3 February 2020.
The healthcare watchdog, the Care Quality Commission, inspected the ward in the week after Edwige’s death and identified numerous risks.
Edwige Nsilu was born and raised in London. Her parents were from the Democratic Republic of Congo and raised her to speak their native language of Lingala as well as English. Her family describe her as loving, warm, nurturing, gorgeous and strong, with a strong affinity for her Congolese background and culture.
Edwige was taken into care at the age of 15. She was first detained under the Mental Health Act 1983 at the age of 16, following which she was detained in various secure mental health units until her tragic death in 2020. Edwige had a diagnosis of Emotionally Unstable Personality Disorder. She had a history of serious self-harm.
On 8 April 2019 Edwige was transferred to Colne Ward, St Andrews’ Healthcare Essex. On 3 February 2020 an incident occurred on the ward which led to her being admitted to Basildon University Hospital, where she tragically died two days later.
As well as the medical cause of death, the inquest will now explore the following issues:
Edwige admission, diagnosis, care and treatment at St. Andrews Healthcare.
Diagnosis of risk of self-harm, care plans and risk assessments.
Level of observations required.
Events that led to the death, including whether there were any individual or system failures, acts or omissions that caused or contributed.
Emergency Response on 3 February 2020.
ENDS