A father-of-three army veteran took his own life after being ‘passed from pillar to post’ to try to get help following a breakdown while serving, an inquest has heard.
Drew Howe, from Widnes, Cheshire, was found dead in the trailer of his lorry on the A18 in Lincolnshire on October 19 last year.
At an inquest this week, assistant coroner Chris Morris said he would raise concerns following Mr Howe’s experiences of being ‘passed from pillar to post’ as he tried to get help, according to the Liverpool ECHO.
Mr Howe had joined the Army in 2015 and served in the Queen’s Royal Hussars. He spent four years in the forces before being discharged in 2019.
A father-of-three army veteran took his own life after being ‘passed from pillar to post’ to try to get help following a breakdown while serving, an inquest has heard. Drew Howe, from Widnes, Cheshire, was found dead in the trailer of his lorry on the A18 in Lincolnshire on October 19 last year. Above: Mr Howe (left) with close friend Adam Bellis
He reportedly received hospital treatment after having a ‘breakdown’ while in the forces and later told experts that he believed he was suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), as well as anxiety and depression.
No formal diagnosis was ever made.
After leaving the forces, he worked as an HGV driver but then suffered a ‘dramatic deterioration’ in his mental health last summer, the inquest reportedly heard.
Mr Howe told family members, including his sister, that he was feeling depressed and also sought help from mental health services in Stockport, where he was born.
The inquest was reportedly told there were ‘at least two other occasions’ when he had been taken to hospital in Lincolnshire after ‘reporting intentions to take his life’.
At the inquest, his sister Keata reportedly said: ‘Just a few months before he did what he did he came out and told us he was feeling depressed and he needed help and we did what we could to help him.’
She added: ‘But he never talked about what he was going through. I never saw him as having depression.
‘Every time I saw him he seemed dead bubbly, he was always laughing and joking around. He was a joker.’
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At an inquest this week, assistant coroner Chris Morris said he would raise concerns following Mr Howe’s experiences of being ‘passed from pillar to post’ as he tried to get help, according to the Liverpool ECHO
After a GP consultation in August last year, Mr Howe was referred for potential talking therapies, but he was then deemed to be ‘not stable enough’.
He was instead referred to the access team at Pennine Care NHS Foundation trust, based at Stepping Hill hospital in Greater Manchester.
He was assessed there six days before his death.
After consultation with a psychiatrist, he was referred on once again, this time to the trust’s specialist Military Veterans Service.
He was awaiting an assessment at the time of his death.
The hearing was reportedly told that he was discharged by the initial access team without a formal diagnosis or treatment plan being drawn up.
A toxicology test found ‘extremely low’ alcohol levels and no illegal drugs in his system.
Coroner Mr Morris reportedly concluded that Mr Howe’s ‘circumstances’ likely did not ‘fit neatly within the paradigm in which services were being offered.’
He told the hearing: ‘I can only imagine he felt passed from pillar to post having recounted his difficulties on a number of occasions.’
Close friend Adam Bellis told the Liverpool Echo: ‘It’s such a shock to us all because he was such a bubbly character and he was dead lively all the time’.
For confidential support call Samaritans on 116123 or visit www.samaritans.org.
