“For BCAP: 1”

The coroner’s concerns

For BCAP: 1. Mr Holloway’s BCAP accredited psychotherapist did not make any notes of her consultations with him, because he had asked her not to. She gave evidence that she is not bound by law or ethics to keep any notes. Is it appropriate that there is no minimum standard of note keeping following psychotherapy consultations? 2. The psychotherapist said that she had never before had a client who was suicidal. She said that this is not taught at university, though she had completed a post graduate course in working with suicidal ideation. Can it be right that suicidality is completely omitted from BCAP accredited psychotherapy training? 3. When Mr Holloway’s friend contacted the psychotherapist to say that he was missing, knowing that he had neither attended nor cancelled their last consultation the psychotherapist was very concerned for his safety. She instructed the friend to go round to his home, but it did not occur to her to call the police. The friend did this, but can it be right that contacting the police in such a situation is not taught as part of psychotherapy planning? 4. The psychotherapist explained in court that she was angry that Mr Holloway’s friend disclosed to her that Mr Holloway had died, asking the friend: “Do you have any idea how this impacts me and my ability to do my job going forward?” The psychotherapist said that she (the psychotherapist) was in distress and shock. 2 In hindsight, the psychotherapist said that she wished she had referred Mr Holloway to a psychotherapist with more experience in suicidality, she said at inquest because she did not want to be in this situation again with this responsibility. Should there be a mechanism of ensuring that a psychotherapist who is unable to deal with suicidality does not practise with clients who may experience this? For BCAP and North West London NHS Trust: 5. Mr Holloway was seen and fully assessed by North West London clinicians when he was taken to hospital by police following an episode of self harm on 30 June 2024. Police attendance had been prompted by Mr Holloway’s brother, calling from abroad. Mr Holloway’s brother was particularly disappointed that it seemed as if Mr Holloway’s care was not joined up between the different agencies.

An extract. Read the full report, including the circumstances of the death, on the Courts and Tribunals Judiciary website.

Source

judiciary.uk, Prevention of Future Deaths reports, 2025-0102

Added to Minute Book

8 Oct 2026

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Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: Courts and Tribunals Judiciary, judiciary.uk. Open Government Licence v3.0