Deaf TikTok star ‘had no translator for care check-up' three days before death
A nurse involved in the care of a deaf TikTok star who died after ingesting poison warned of a 'huge shortage' of British Sign Language (BSL) interpreters, during an inquest into the death.
Imogen Nunn, 25, died in Brighton, East Sussex, on New Year's Day 2023 after taking a poisonous substance she ordered online.
Ms Nunn, who was born deaf, raised awareness of hearing and mental health issues on her social media accounts, which attracted more than 780,000 followers.
On Tuesday, the Inquest at West Sussex Coroners Court in Horsham were informed of a 'huge shortage' in BSL interpreters from Carmen Jones, a nurse for the deaf adult community team (DACT) at South West London and St George's NHS Trust.
Just days before Ms Nunn's death, she received a check-in visit at her home from care professionals after sending a text message saying she had had an increase in suicidal thoughts.
No BSL interpreter was brought to the meeting as there was not enough time to arrange it, the court was told in March.
Communicating through a BSL interpreter on Tuesday, Ms Jones said: 'There is a huge shortage of BSL interpreters.
'Even in my current job I still struggle to get interpreters for my role in my work and because I've seen deaf patients requiring access to mental health teams, I see that they are also struggling.'
She told senior coroner Penelope Schofield 'it would be very difficult' for a deaf person to communicate the crisis they were in without an interpreter.
'It's based around language, how can anyone understand another person if they don't share a language?' Ms Jones added.
Consultant psychiatrist Simon Baker, who visited Ms Nunn on 29 December 2022 at her home, previously told the court he was 'surprised' how well the meeting had gone.
The inquest into Ms Nunn's death was previously adjourned for two months because there were no BSL interpreters available to translate for two members of DACT.
This correlated with concerns noted in a prevention of future deaths report written by Ms Schofield regarding Ms Nunn's care.
It reads: 'During the course of the inquest (which has yet to be concluded), I heard evidence that there was a lack of availability of British Sign Language Interpreters able to help support deaf patients in the community who were being treated with mental health difficulties.
'This was particularly apparent when mental health staff were seeking an interpreter at short notice for a patient who was in crisis.
'The lack of interpreters available has meant that urgent assessments are being carried out with no interpreters present.'
The inquest continues.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Mail
an hour ago
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE Doctors deliver stunning verdict on mystery elixir Joe Rogan and RFK Jr swear reverses aging
Doctors are raising alarms about the viral use of 'blue brain juice,' a synthetic dye promoted by and Robert F Kennedy Jr for its supposed health benefits. The substance, known as methylene blue, has taken over TikTok and Instagram with claims it can sharpen focus, boost mood, and even reverse aging.
STV News
6 hours ago
- STV News
Warning over 'TikTok' imported Dubai chocolate posing health risk
A warning has been issued over imported Dubai chocolate amid fears some products pose a health risk. Dubai-style chocolate has become popular due to being promoted by 'influencers' on social media sites such as TikTok. The trend has led UK supermarkets such as Waitrose and Lidl to limit how many people can buy. The Food Standards Agency (FSA) is raising awareness that some imported chocolate sold in the UK may pose a risk to those with food allergies. Health experts say the products could lack a full ingredients list or allergy labelling and may not meet the UK's food safety standards. They have identified a number of products that pose a health risk, but say most Dubai-style chocolate available in UK shops is safe. Consumers are advised to check: the name of the food (e.g. milk chocolate with pistachio paste filling); a list of ingredients, with allergens emphasised; the weight of the food in grams; a best before or use by date; the name and address of the UK or EU business responsible for the product information – if the food is not from the UK or EU, the name and address of the importer must be included. Professor Robin May, chief scientific advisor to the FSA, said: 'The vast majority of food in the UK is safe, but some imported Dubai-style chocolate products don't meet our standards and could be a food safety risk, especially for consumers with allergies. 'If you are looking to buy Dubai-style chocolate, we advise sticking with trusted retailers, like the ones you'd use for your weekly shop, as products are more likely to be made for UK consumers and are safe to eat. 'As it's difficult for consumers to tell the difference between products made for the UK and those that aren't, if you have a food allergy or intolerance, we advise that you do not buy the product unless you're certain it's intended for sale here. 'UK law requires food labels to highlight any of 14 allergens present in the product, but some imported products may not do this.' Anyone with concerns about chocolate products is being urged not to buy them and instead to report them to their local authority. For more information on food allergies, visit Get all the latest news from around the country Follow STV News Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country
Scottish Sun
7 hours ago
- Scottish Sun
Mum's urgent warning after innocent UTI led to life-threatening condition – and all four of her limbs being amputated
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) KIM Smith's hands and feet went black and had to be amputated after a common infection turned deadly. "I woke up at 4am and I thought I was going to die," the 63-year-old said in a TikTok video, recalling the day fateful day she woke up sick. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 5 Kim Smith after her quadruple amputations. Credit: mediadrumworld/@kims2ndchance 5 Doctors diagnosed the mum with severe sepsis and put her into a coma Credit: mediadrumworld/@kims2ndchance The mum-of-two from Milton Keynes was on holiday with her family in Spain in 2018 when a simple urinary tract infection (UTI) spiralled out of control. A UTI is a common infection where bacteria infiltrates parts of the body like the bladder, kidneys and urethra. It often causes a painful burning sensation when urinating and the need to pee more often. Familiar with the signs, Kim, then 56, saw a doctor on November 28 2018 and was prescribed antibiotics. Read more on sepsis TAKEN TOO SOON Mum, 28, with stomach ache died after hospital staff failed to spot sepsis But the pharmacist did not have her prescription available for collection that day, so the former hairdresser returned to their hotel, where she quickly deteriorated. "I had severe breathlessness, slurred speech and confusion. I was really really cold. I had a fever and I was shivering like mad," she explained. Kim was rushed to hospital in the early hours of November 29 where doctors diagnosed her with severe sepsis - with the mum being put into a coma. Sepsis is a life-threatening reaction to an infection, which occurs when the body's immune system overreacts to an infection. By the next day, her hands had already turned purple. For weeks, Kim remained in the Spanish hospital, with her family getting more and more concerned. My UTI turned out to be cancer & I had my vagina reconstructed with my bum Eventually, her daughter arranged an air ambulance to get her home, and two weeks after coming back to the UK Kim was brought out of her coma. Waking up, Kim saw her limbs had blackened and died, with doctors telling her she needed them to be removed. Once she recovered from the quadruple amputation, the mum spent 12 weeks in physical rehabilitation, where she regained her strength and learned to live without her limbs. If you feel unusually unwell and you know something is not right, please please please advocate for yourself Kim Smith Now, the mum wants to raise awareness for the little-known risk associated with common UTIs. "I want to tell you, if you need to go pee, go pee," she said. "Don't hold it, that could cause you to get an infection and that could develop into sepsis," she added. 5 The hairdresser before she developed sepsis Credit: SWNS 5 The mum is now raising awareness about sepsis symptom Credit: SWNS "The symptoms are severe breathlessness, slurred speech and confusion I had that I didn't pass much urine that day and I had a fever but I was really cold," she said. "If you get anything like that, if you feel unusually unwell and you know something is not right, please please please advocate for yourself," the mum urged her followers. She added: "Tell [doctors] something is not right and ask them to test you for sepsis. "Ask for a second opinion if you have to. Do not leave if you feel something is wrong." How UTIs and sepsis are related UTIs affect the urinary tract - including the bladder, urethra, and kidneys. In the UK, 1.7 million people suffer recurrent UTIs (three or more a year). Around half of all women will get a UTI at some point. Common symptoms are burning pain when peeing, needing to go more often, and cloudy urine, which can also signal dehydration. Some may feel lower abdominal or back pain, fever, chills, or a dangerously low temperature below 36C. Severe symptoms may mean a kidney infection, which can lead to life-threatening sepsis if untreated. 5 Globally, sepsis kills 11 million people a year. In the UK, it claims 48,000 lives annually. Septic shock can cause blood clots that block oxygen to limbs which is when tissue dies, turning skin black. Doctors may try removing dead tissue, but if that fails, amputation is needed. UTIs are a leading cause of sepsis, known as the 'silent killer' because symptoms mimic flu. Key signs of sepsis include confusion, slurred speech, blotchy or blue-grey skin, difficulty breathing, and a rash that doesn't fade when pressed. Skin may be pale, cold, clammy, or show purple bruises. Producing less urine or not peeing for a day is another warning sign, as sepsis lowers blood pressure and blocks blood flow to kidneys. The NHS urges anyone with these symptoms to call 999 or go to A&E immediately.
