Chaplain who starred in Channel 4 show Geordie Hospital went 'above and beyond' caring for patients and staff before taking her own life, inquest hears
A coroner has paid tribute to a much-loved hospital chaplain who went 'above and beyond' in her role caring for patients and staff.
Katie Watson, a former army captain, appeared on a Channel 4 documentary about life in a Newcastle hospital.
The 50-year-old mother-of-two was found hanging in Jesmond Dene, Newcastle, last September, having suffered long-standing mental health issues which required both community and in-patient treatment.
Coroner Karin Welsh, sitting in Newcastle, concluded that her death was suicide.
The inquest heard how Ms Watson had a turbulent upbringing before she joined the military.
Having served in Bosnia where she witnessed genocide, the inquest heard that she developed PTSD.
She was ordained and became head of chaplaincy at the Newcastle Hospitals NHS Trust in 2020, during the pandemic.
Ms Watson had already endured several periods of low mood over the previous decades and had expressed suicidal ideation, for which she had received treatment, the inquest heard.
In late 2023, she was referred to the local psychiatric crisis team due to her deteriorating mental state.
By March 2024, amid concerns over going on to half-pay having been off work sick, Ms Watson was treated as a mental health in-patient.
She felt that she was 'treading water' in her treatment on the ward and she was eventually discharged home a month before she took her own life.
The coroner said her work as an Army captain led to her 'leading from the front' and in her role as chaplain she took on a role 'above and beyond' what could be expected.
Ms Welsh said although some areas of the chaplain's treatment from mental health services could have been handled differently, the coroner did not find that failings led to her taking her own life and she recorded a conclusion of suicide.
Ms Welsh paid tribute, saying that although she had never met the chaplain, she knew others who had been supported by her.
'I work closely with people who knew Katie and they always spoke very highly of her and the work she has done,' the coroner told family members.
Ms Welsh said the chaplain's work with families who had suffered the loss of a child was 'exceptionally helpful'.
The coroner said: 'I hope she's at peace now.'
Earlier, when questioning Dr Michael Wright, medical director at the hospital trust, the coroner said: 'She seems to have taken her work very seriously and effectively seems to have given above and beyond what might be expected for that, to provide a compassionate role within the hospital.'
Dr Wright replied: 'She was extremely committed not only to the care of her patients but also to the welfare of other staff and your description of her characterises exactly how she did her job.'
After the hearing, her partner Dr Emily Watson said: 'Katie was a unique, inspiring, compassionate person who touched the lives of thousands of people.
'I am very grateful for the many hundreds of cards and messages I received when she died, and all the stories of how her ministry supported people at some of their darkest times.
'It is desperately sad that she wasn't able to see for herself how loved she was and I am sorry that mental health services in their current condition were not able to help her.
'She is deeply missed by us all.'
Ms Watson featured in two series of the Geordie Hospital documentary, which followed the Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust's staff through a typical shift.
Speaking about filming the documentary, Ms Watson said: 'Getting the chance to show people what hospital chaplaincy is actually about as opposed to what people think we do was great, and also a reminder to all of our team about how embedded and valued we are in the organisation.'
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