A depressed beautician who was sent home from hospital against a psychiatrist’s advice hanged herself after texting ‘I love you’ to a friend.
Monika Nos, 29, had run her own beauty business but lost clients and suffered from an acute medical episode which led her to being admitted to hospital for psychiatric treatment.
She was sent home against the recommendation of a consultant psychiatrist after appearing to improve. But despite further treatment over the following months she was found dead at a park near her home in Salford, Greater Manchester.
Monika Nos, 29, (pictured in undated photos) had run her own beauty business but lost clients and suffered from an acute medical episode which led her to being admitted to hospital for psychiatric treatment
Shortly before her death on October 5 last year she had been researching methods of suicide and sent a message to her flatmate saying: ‘We need to prepare for the party – I love you xxx.’
Miss Nos, from Poland, had originally settled in Sheffield but moved to Manchester and later worked at a salon in Hyde.
Her cousin Klaudia told the Bolton hearing: ‘She was a very open person and very friendly, was trusting of others and loved fashion and beauty.
‘I don’t think she ever had a problem forming relationships with people, she had become passionate about veganism and was helping people out with their problems in their life.
‘I didn’t see any difficulty with her but this started in January 2018 when her friend rang me to tell me that she had been sectioned. I was so surprised.’
Klaudia said her cousin was ‘clearly not herself’ when she saw her in Manchester.
‘She was living in some kind of illusion. I couldn’t believe that this was Monika, she was so different.
‘When she was admitted to hospital, I still went to see her. She started to improve a little bit after taking the medication, but only a little bit. She wasn’t herself.
‘I remember coming to Manchester with her friend and we persuaded her that she was still in such a state and that she would require further medical care.
Miss Nos, from Poland, had originally settled in Sheffield but moved to Manchester and later worked at a salon in Hyde
Miss Nos’ flatmate, Daria Kietla, said: ‘Monika was really positive, open and happy. Then, that day in January, her friend from Sheffield rang me saying that she had called her because something was wrong.
‘She wasn’t herself, she was behaving in a different way and I wasn’t sure when she was going to be OK to work again.
‘When she came out of the hospital, she was not well enough in my opinion. I was looking for a new flat and I didn’t know what to do with Monika.’
Miss Nos’ father took his own life when she was a little girl, the flatmate said.
‘I said to her “please don’t do anything like that because people love you”’ she continued. ‘In March, she called me and told me she felt like that, so I called Klaudia and we took her to the hospital.
‘We were there for 24 hours while they were looking for a free bed for her – it was tough. I think she expected to feel better in those three weeks since she was discharged, but she didn’t
‘She went back to Poland, where her mum took her to the doctors, but she came back in September and moved in with me. In my opinion, she wasn’t herself still.’
Miss Kietla said she pushed Miss Kos to find a job after she returned to the UK.
‘She had a business before, but she lost a lot of clients. She said that she had lost her passion for nails. We wanted to put her in the hospital, but she said that hospital was the worst thing in her life and she didn’t want to go back there.
‘On the Friday, I came back home from work and then I went to pick up my friend from the airport. As I was coming home I got a message from Monika saying something like “Hi, I am happy that you are on your way back, we need to prepare for the party – I love you xxx”.
‘When I got back, we went into the home and I opened the door to her room and she wasn’t there. This was at about 11:30pm. I rang her phone but there was no answer, then I rang her boyfriend to go out looking for her.
‘Then, the police knocked on the door at about 7 or 8am. We had long conversations about life all the time. I think she planned this.’
Dr Daryl Britto, a consultant psychiatrist said Miss Nos had been referred from Stepping Hill Hospital in Stockport to a private hospital in Bradford, West Yorkshire under the Mental Health Act in January last year after suffering an ‘acute psychotic episode’.
She later appeared at tribunal hearing on February 9 where a judge, a doctor and a layperson listen to evidence before deciding on a ‘deferred discharge’ which allowed her to be sent home the following week.
Miss Nos’ flatmate, Daria Kietla, said: ‘Monika was really positive, open and happy. Then, that day in January, her friend from Sheffield rang me saying that she had called her because something was wrong’
Dr Britto said: ‘When she arrived she was struggling with association of speech and thought, she was in a manic state and she was aggressively agitated. She was very unwell.
‘I recommended that she continued to stay sectioned in the hospital but I wasn’t present at the tribunal, I left instructions for my assistant and it was noted in the tribunal. I think discharge is maybe the wrong word to use as it was a transfer.
‘When a patient improves, we have to inform the NHS that they are duty bound to take the patient back.
‘But, under no circumstances would I have applied for Monika’s discharge from the hospital. That may be something that should be noted that first time acute psychosis patients should be properly investigated and treated before they are discharged.’
Dr Elizabeth Walker, a consultant psychiatrist at Pennine Care Trust which dealt with Miss Nos said: ‘When Monika was admitted, she was extremely unwell. She was agitated, screaming and shouting.
Coroner Rachel Galloway recorded a verdict of suicide for Miss Nos
‘We gave her medication, but she needed a more intensive ward with more patients. On February 12, she was discharged as a voluntary patient and on February 15, she had an appointment with her psychiatrist and there were no concerns about her mental health on that day.
‘She said that she didn’t want to continue on that medication because she didn’t like the injections. She was extremely unwell with the first episode of psychosis but she made a quick recovery although it was still early days.
‘Unfortunately, when you have a decision by a tribunal you can’t do anything.’
Dr Helen Sanderson, a consultant psychiatrist at Tameside Hospital where Miss Nos was treated on March 22 said: ‘She spoke quite freely about her mental health and she said that she felt sad.
‘She said she couldn’t find joy in anything at all. She was on tablets and she said that she thought they were helping her to improve. She talked about suicide, but said she had no plans to do it.
‘On April 8, she was reviewed. She spent some time out of the hospital and she came back on April 12 and said that she wanted to be discharged. She then said that she wanted to go to Poland to see her mum. My preference would have been for her to stay here, but we made arrangements for her to see a doctor in Poland.’
Recording a conclusion of suicide, Coroner Rachel Galloway said: ‘Monika Nos was sectioned under the Mental Health Act.
‘I accept the evidence that she improved somewhat, but contrary to the psychiatrist’s view, as an experienced clinician, she was given a deferred discharge.
‘She went to Stepping Hill hospital where she was ultimately discharged from their care.
‘I find from the evidence that there was no third party involvement and I find that the actions were taken by Monika.’
For confidential support visit the Samaritans website or phone them on 116 123.