Inquests to investigate care provided by the Durham and Darlington Crisis Team

11 July 2023

Linda Banks and David Stevens died within nine weeks of each other in April and June 2022 following contact with the Durham and Darlington Crisis Team, one of the Tees, Esk & Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust Crisis Services. Inquests into their deaths will investigate the care and treatment that they received.

A Freedom of Information (“FOI”) request made by the families’ legal representatives revealed that there have been 41 unexpected deaths from February 2021 to the present day where the patient had been in contact with the Durham and Darlington Crisis Team in the six months prior to their death.

Article 2 ECHR was found to be engaged on the systemic basis in both cases following submissions made at Pre-Inquest Review hearings.

A date is yet to be set for the inquests.

Lily Lewis, of GCN’s Inquests & Inquiries team, represents the families of Linda Banks and David Stevens. She is instructed by Alistair Smith and Lucy Wennington of Watson Woodhouse Solicitors. Solicitors at Watson Woodhouse are campaigning alongside bereaved families for a public inquiry into TEWV.

Read more about the inquest into the Death of David Stevens on the BBC website and the Northern Echo.