‘Failings' in provision of cricketer Graham Thorpe's care before death

Yahoo

25-07-2025

There were 'failings' in the provision of care for former England cricketer Graham Thorpe in the months before he died, a coroner said, as he recorded a conclusion of suicide at his inquest.
The 55-year-old died on the morning of August 4 2024 after being struck by a train at a railway station in Surrey.
An inquest at Surrey Coroner's Court in Woking heard Mr Thorpe had 'spiralled into depression' after losing his job as a batting coach in 2022, and he had tried to take his own life on another occasion.
Speaking outside court, Mrs Thorpe said the family will 'never get over his loss' and they would be working together with mental health charity Mind to 'reduce the stigma' felt by people who suffer from poor mental health.
She said: 'We will never get over the tragic loss of Graham and we miss him every day.
'He was my best friend, my soulmate, and he was just a joy.
'And he loved life – but he got very ill.'
Coroner Jonathan Stevens said at the inquest the last time Mr Thorpe was seen in person by healthcare professionals was on March 26 2024.
After missing an appointment with the community mental health team on June 28 that year, care co-ordinator Katie Johnson spoke to Mr Thorpe's wife Amanda on the phone who said her husband was 'constantly asking for help to end his life', the court had heard previously.
Ms Johnson then spoke to Mr Thorpe who told her he 'hadn't been out for a while' and 'didn't see the point of being here' but had no immediate plans to act on suicidal thoughts, the inquest was told.
The coroner said appointments were offered to the cricketer but he 'found it hard to attend these' because of his mental health, and in his judgment Mr Stevens said 'someone should have gone to see him to properly monitor and assess him, to do a face-to-face risk assessment and understand and address his care needs as required by the care plan'.
He added that saying 'come see me in two weeks' was 'not an appropriate response'.
In May 2023 Mr Thorpe had suicidal thoughts and was given in-patient treatment, and Mr Stevens said 'some similar protective measures should have been considered in June 2024'.
Mr Stevens said: 'In my judgment there were shortcomings in the care that should have been provided to Graham in the last four months or so of his life.'
He added 'there were failings in the provision of his care' but said he cannot on the evidence conclude the failures were gross, and therefore could not conclude that if it were not for the failures, Mr Thorpe would not have died.
The coroner said there was no evidence upon which he could make a finding of neglect in the case.
Mr Stevens added: 'It's clear there were shortcomings in his care. If he had been seen in those last four months, particularly after that incident on June 28, I cannot say whether it would or would not have made any difference.'
Earlier on Friday, the inquest heard Mr Thorpe was not perceived by healthcare professionals to be in a 'crisis situation' after they were told he had been asking his wife 'for help to end his life' weeks before he died.
The coroner said he did not accept that, adding: 'I don't accept that when Graham was constantly asking his wife to help him end his life, which was a new presentation… that he was not at that point in crisis.'
Mr Thorpe's cause of death was recorded by a pathologist as multiple injuries, the coroner said.
The inquest previously heard that while on tour in Australia with the England cricket team, there was an 'incident involving a video that was taken that had adverse publicity'.
Mr Thorpe shared a video with some friends which was leaked, and the incident was 'blown out of all proportion', leaving Mr Thorpe 'distraught', Mrs Thorpe said.
According to reports at the time, the video, filmed after a dismal Ashes series which England lost 4-0, showed Tasmanian police breaking up a drinking session involving both England and Australia players.
Mrs Thorpe described it as a 'horrible' time, and said the later termination of his employment with the England and Wales Cricket Board was a 'real shock to Graham', which was the 'start of the decline of his mental health'.
Thorpe was a mainstay in the England set-up for many years, first as a batter between 1993 and 2005 before spending 12 years in coaching roles.
During a distinguished international career, he struck 16 Test hundreds for England, including a debut century against Australia at Trent Bridge in 1993, and represented his country 182 times in all formats.
Mark McGhee, who represents the family, said outside court the coroner had found 'significant shortcomings' in the care provided and added Mr Thorpe's family 'hope that the coroner will address these concerns' so that such a loss 'never happens again'.
Surrey and Borders Partnership NHS Foundation Trust chief nursing officer Jo Lynch said: 'We are deeply saddened by the tragic death of Graham Thorpe and our thoughts are with Graham's family and loved ones.
'We will reflect on the coroner's findings and our role in Graham's care with a view to continuous improvement and learning.'
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