Husband says NHS' no smoking policy 'put my wife's life at risk' before she was found dead

A grieving widower has criticised the NHS's no smoking policy claiming it 'puts lives at risk' following his wife's suicide. Nicolette McCarthy, 46, was allowed to leave a mental health unit unaccompanied for a cigarette but was later found dead miles away.

Scott McCarthy, 49, has spoken out after the death of his "caring and empathetic" wife which led a coroner to demand changes.

An inquest was told that Nicolette, a midwifery matron, had been detained under the Mental Health Act at the Woodlands Centre in St Leonards-on-Sea, East Sussex. On September 19, 2023, she was given 15 minutes of unsupervised ‘hospital grounds’ leave to smoke, during which time she had her phone and money with her.

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The mother of five from Uckfield then left the hospital grounds and immediately hailed a taxi to Hastings train station. She travelled nearly 20 miles to Beachy Head, where, sadly, her body was later discovered.

The coroner concluded that Nicolette should not have been forced to leave the hospital to smoke and that there should have been a secure area on-site for patients to use. Devastated Scott is now concerned that the "accidental consequences" of the NHS's smoking ban might result in more deaths among vulnerable individuals.

He said: "People with mental health problems are some of society’s most vulnerable people and deserve the best care possible to ensure they return to their family.

“Sadly, this didn’t happen to Nicolette and it feels like an accidental consequence of the smoke-free policy will put more lives at risk. Mental health patients have complex needs and their needs to be an understanding of