Before HM Senior Coroner Jacqueline Devonish
Cheshire Coroner’s Court
Opens 30 January 2023
Conclusion expected 17 February 2023
Laura Davis died in 2017, aged 22 while detained under the Mental Health Act as a patient at Arbury Court Hospital in Warrington, run by Elysium Healthcare Ltd. On Monday 30 January, an inquest will open to establish the full circumstances of her death.
Laura was from Cheltenham in Gloucestershire. Her family describe her as caring and intuitive, and someone who always put others before herself. She was a hardworking and high-achieving student who had ambitions to become an RAF officer.
Laura had a diagnosis of emotionally unstable personality disorder, was a victim of sexual assault, and had a history of serious self-harm. She was admitted to Abbey Ward at Wotton Lawn Hospital in Gloucestershire on 24 June 2016, after which she was detained under the Mental Health Act.
On 10 November 2016, Laura was transferred to a psychiatric intensive care unit at Arbury Court Hospital in Warrington, over 120 miles away from her family. This was originally intended as a short-term placement, but Laura remained at Arbury Court for over three months due to delays in finding a suitable placement for her.
Laura was discovered unresponsive on her bed on 20 February 2017, and was pronounced dead shortly after. She died just days before she was due to be transferred to a new placement to receive specialist treatment.
The inquest will now explore the following issues:
- Laura’s care and treatment on Abbey Ward
- Laura’s transfer from Abbey Ward to Arbury Court miles away from home
- Laura’s treatment and care at Arbury Court
- The events of 20 February 2017 and emergency response when Laura was found unresponsive
Laura’s family are represented by Joseph Morgan of Bindmans LLP and Christian Weaver from Garden Court North. They are supported by INQUEST senior caseworker Selen Cavcav.