CARE staff have faced questions over why a patient with emotionally unstable personality disorder was due to be discharged the day after she attempted to take her own life.

Emma Beth Goulding, 24, of Abbots Vale Mews, Barrow died on April 5 last year in Furness General Hospital, where she had been receiving care from the Dova Unit on the Dane Garth site. An inquest into her death held at Cockermouth Coroner’s Court heard Miss Goulding had a history of mental health issues and had made previous attempts to take her own life.

Dr Sivaram Appavoo, consultant psychiatrist at the Dova Unit was questioned by coroner Kirsty Gomersal on why her level of risk was not changed from a level two (checked up on every 15 minutes) to a level three (always watched by members of staff) by staff despite it being revealed she had attempted to make ligatures and had expressed suicidal thoughts.

The coroner raised the questions after the hearing was told the decision to discharge Miss Goulding brought her added distress.

“There was an increase in suicidal behaviour,” Dr Appavoo told the court yesterday. “The evidence showed that she had not acted on these thoughts when at home in the way she acted on them in hospital.

“Even when she did act on this at home, we noticed she contacted help quite instantly.”

Rachael Horrobin, service manager at the trust responsible for the Dova Unit was also questioned over the care given and admitted there were problems with documentation and

Ms Horrobin also confirmed there was a strained relationship between Miss Goulding and her care coordinator Amanda Middleton.

Members of staff from the Dova Unit run by Lancashire and South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust, said in statements read to the court, on March 29 Miss Goulding was being observed every 15 minutes.

Staff were called to her room and found Miss Goulding unresponsive. She died a few days later in hospital, where the cause of death was given as hanging.

The inquest, which began on Monday, continues.