Victoria died five months after being deemed an unsuitable candidate for treatment By Victoria Munro
Chef Victoria and her daughter Angie (provided by family)
The family of a Leyton woman who ended her life after mental health staff said she wasn’t “a suitable candidate for treatment” have spoken publicly for the first time about their loss.
Victoria Tsopurashvili, 52, died in April last year and is survived by her husband Rompert Aroutinov, her children David and Angie and her six-year-old grandson Ilyas.
Victoria, who worked as a chef, began struggling with anxiety, unhappiness and insomnia in late 2018 and was taking antidepressants.
During an appointment in November 2020, five months before her death, a nurse became seriously worried about her and made an urgent referral to the Waltham Forest Early Intervention in Psychosis Service (WFEIPS).
Victoria was seen by WFEIPS, run by the North East London NHS Foundation Trust, later that month but refused treatment, which east London coroner Graeme Irvine described as a “poor decision” following an inquest into her death earlier this year.
In his report to prevent future deaths, coroner Irvine questioned why “no consideration was given” to referring Victoria to another service run by the trust.
Speaking to mark World Suicide Prevention Day on 10th September, Victoria’s daughter Angie said her mother was “always happy” before her struggles began and that the family still wonders “whether more could have been done to help her”.
She said: “What’s happened has turned our family upside down. Things will never be the same and my dad is broken. Losing her in the way we did has only added to the grief and pain we continue to feel.
“Mum was the most positive person I knew. She was always smiling, always saw the best in people and went out of her way to help others. All she wanted for our family was happiness and health – that’s why we donated her organs so families can have what mum wanted for us.
“To us, it looked like she was getting worse and we wanted to get her help so she could become more like the mum I knew. It feels like that didn’t happen.
“Anyone can be affected by mental illness and it’s vital that people receive the care they need and they know that support is out there.”
Dami Oloyede, the medical negligence expert at Irwin Mitchell representing the family, added: “Victoria was a much-loved wife, mum and grandma and, while more than a year has passed since her death, all her family remain devastated by what happened.
“They’re still struggling to come to terms with the events that unfolded in the lead up to Victoria’s death and are determined for as many lessons as possible to be learned.
“While the inquest identified concerning areas in Victoria’s care, it’s vital that people with mental health issues and their families continue to seek help. World Suicide Prevention Day is an important reminder that people need not suffer alone and support is out there.
“We continue to support Victoria’s family in their campaign so others don’t have to suffer the heartache her family has.”
Anyone seeking help can call Samaritans free on 116 123 or visit Samaritans.org
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