Latest news with #DACT
ITV News
21-05-2025
- Health
- ITV News
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.
Western Telegraph
20-05-2025
- Health
- Western Telegraph
Deaf TikTok star ‘had no translator for care check-up' three days before 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 on Wednesday morning.
The Guardian
17-03-2025
- Health
- The Guardian
Deaf TikTok star who took poison ‘failed' by NHS services, inquest hears
A TikTok star who died after consuming a poisonous substance she bought online told an NHS support worker about the purchase a month before her death, an inquest has heard. Imogen Nunn took a poisonous substance and died in Brighton, East Sussex, on New Year's Day 2023. The 25-year-old, who was deaf, raised awareness of hearing and mental health issues on her social media accounts, which gained more than 780,000 followers. On Monday, an inquest into her death in Horsham heard that Nunn was 'failed' by services that were meant to help her, according to a statement by her mother, Louise Sutherland. The inquest was told that Nunn, who was called 'Immy' by loved ones, had contacted her support worker at the deaf adult community team (DACT) at South West London and St George's NHS trust on 23 November 2022, and told them she had 'bought something online that she planned to take to end her life'. She also made reference to a 'pro-choice suicide forum', the court heard. In the statement read to the inquest, Thomas Beamont, representing Sutherland and Nunn's father, Ray, said: 'Ray and I believe that Immy felt hopeless and let down by the time of her death, and that she was failed. 'Immy didn't want to die, but she was exhausted from fighting desperately for the help she needed.' Sutherland told the court her daughter, who was born 'profoundly deaf', had mental health difficulties from age 14. In the years that followed, she made several attempts on her life, and was detained under the Mental Health Act in 2018. During her time in hospital, Nunn began sharing her experiences on social media posts. In a statement, Sutherland said: 'She found success on TikTok where she established over 800,000 followers, a platform she used to share her experiences and struggles with mental health, and the challenges she faced as a deaf person. 'In her TikTok videos, Immy would put a positive spin on her experiences. We thought it was a good outlet for her, helping her to build up her self-esteem which had almost completely depleted after missing out on so much of her teenage life.' On 15 September 2021, after spending nearly four years as an inpatient in Springfield hospital's ward for deaf adults in south-west London, Nunn was discharged and started living in a flat in Brighton, with the support of community mental health teams. But the inquest was told by July 2022 her mental health began deteriorating again and she stopped engaging with mental health professionals. The court heard she purchased lethal chemicals online on 14 November and received the parcel at home on 21 November. On 23 November, she contacted her allocated worker at DACT, explaining that she had suicidal thoughts. This prompted Sussex police to conduct a welfare check, but no British Sign Language (BSL) interpreter attended, and Nunn did not see mental health professionals 'for at least several weeks afterwards', the coroner heard. After spending Christmas with her parents, Nunn harmed herself on 29 December and went to A&E at Royal Sussex county hospital with a wound on her arm. The inquest heard she texted her care coordinator at Sussex Partnership NHS foundation trust, saying: 'I'm simply having the worst few months and I think I need to be admitted to a ward with sign language. I cannot look after myself anymore. I can easily go into the last resort and I don't want to.' Despite this, Nunn was left alone in the emergency room and left before being seen by the hospital mental health team. On 30 December, Nunn told her psychologist that she 'did not feel safe' and had 'a plan to kill herself' by drinking poison. She told them that she did not possess any poison, and agreed to be admitted into a mental health crisis facility 'to keep herself safe', the inquest heard. But her care coordinator did not meet her that day as planned, and her admission never happened, the court was told. Separately Canadian chef Kenneth Law is facing a murder trial in his home country for allegedly supplying poisonous chemicals to people around the world who have ended their lives. He has been linked to dozens of suicides in the UK, according to the National Crime Agency. In the UK and Ireland, Samaritans can be contacted on freephone 116 123, or email jo@ or jo@ In the US, you can call or text the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline on 988, chat on or text HOME to 741741 to connect with a crisis counselor. In Australia, the crisis support service Lifeline is 13 11 14. Other international helplines can be found at
Yahoo
17-03-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Deaf TikTok star told care worker she bought poison online month before death
A deaf TikTok star who died after ingesting a poisonous substance told a mental health service about a 'pro-choice suicide forum' and lethal chemicals she had bought online a month before her death, an inquest has heard. Imogen Nunn took a poisonous substance and died in Brighton, East Sussex, on New Year's Day 2023. The 25-year-old raised awareness of hearing and mental health issues on her social media accounts, which attracted more than 780,000 followers. An inquest into her death heard on Monday Ms Nunn was 'failed' by services meant to help her, according to a statement by her mother Louise Sutherland. The inquest in Horsham was told Ms Nunn, referred to as 'Immy' in court, contacted her support worker at the deaf adult community team (DACT) at South West London and St George's NHS Trust on November 23 2022, and told them she had 'bought something online that she planned to take to end her life'. Ms Nunn also made reference to a 'pro-choice suicide forum', the court heard. In the statement read to the inquest, Thomas Beamont, representing Ms Sutherland and Immy's father Ray Nunn, said: 'Ray and I believe that Immy felt hopeless and let down by the time of her death, and that she was failed. 'Immy didn't want to die, but she was exhausted from fighting desperately for the help she needed.' Ms Sutherland told the court her daughter, who was born 'profoundly deaf', had mental health difficulties from age 14. In the years that followed, she made several attempts on her life, and was detained under the Mental Health Act in 2018. During her time in hospital, Ms Nunn began sharing her experiences on social media posts. 'She found success on TikTok where she established over 800,000 followers, a platform she used to share her experiences and struggles with mental health, and the challenges she faced as a deaf person,' Ms Sutherland said in her statement. 'In her TikTok videos, Immy would put a positive spin on her experiences. 'We thought it was a good outlet for her, helping her to build up her self-esteem which had almost completely depleted after missing out on so much of her teenage life.' On September 15 2021, after spending nearly four years as an inpatient in Springfield Hospital's ward for deaf adults in south-west London, Ms Nunn was discharged and started living in a flat in Brighton, with the support of community mental health teams. But the inquest was told by July 2022 her mental health began deteriorating again and she stopped engaging with mental health professionals. The court heard she purchased lethal chemicals online on November 14, and received the parcel at home on November 21. She contacted Carmen Jones, her allocated worker at DACT, on November 23 complaining that she had suicidal thoughts. This prompted Sussex Police to conduct a welfare check, but no British Sign Language (BSL) interpreter attended, and Ms Nunn did not see mental health professionals 'for at least several weeks afterwards', the coroner heard. On December 29, after spending Christmas with her parents, Ms Nunn harmed herself and went to A&E at Royal Sussex County Hospital with a wound on her arm. The inquest heard she texted her care coordinator Ray McCullagh at Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, saying: 'I'm simply having the worst few months and I think I need to be admitted to a ward with sign language. 'I cannot look after myself anymore. I can easily go into the last resort and I don't want to.' Despite this, Ms Nunn was left alone in the emergency room and left before being seen by the hospital mental health team, the inquest heard. On December 30, Ms Nunn told her psychologist she 'did not feel safe' and had 'a plan to kill herself' by drinking poison. She told her psychologist at the time that she did not possess any poison, and agreed to be admitted into a mental health crisis facility 'to keep herself safe', the inquest heard. But Mr McCullagh did not meet her that day as planned, and her admission never happened, the court was told. In her statement, Ms Sutherland added: 'We believe that Immy's death was avoidable, and that had appropriate actions been taken in response to the numerous times Immy contacted professionals she trusted asking for help, she would still be alive today.' Ms Sutherland added: 'She was the most beautiful, kind, gentle, and loving daughter. 'Our whole world is broken by her death.' In a statement read on his behalf by Mr Beamont, Ms Nunn's father Ray said: 'If there was a word for us to describe her, it would be 'rainbow'. 'She had an aura that was just so special. 'If you had the pleasure to meet Immy you would have met, the most gentle, kind, and genuine young lady, someone filled only with love, who cared deeply for her family.' Senior Coroner for West Sussex Penelope Schofield said the inquest would look at 'the care and treatment of Imogen from the September 15 2022… including the assessment and welfare check by the police on the November 23 2022'. She added how Ms Nunn obtained the poison would not form part of the inquest due to an ongoing police investigation. It comes as Canadian chef Kenneth Law is facing a murder trial in his home country for allegedly supplying poisonous chemicals to people around the world who have ended their lives. He has been linked to dozens of suicides in the UK, according to the National Crime Agency.
