Baker and others v Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust

Negligence – Duty to take care. The deceased had suffered from depression. He was referred by his GP to a doctor at the defendant NHS trust for treatment. The doctor assessed the deceased as suffering from bipolar affective disorder, advised him on a course of treatment and discharged him back to the care of the GP. Shortly thereafter, the deceased committed suicide. The claimants, including the deceased's widow, contended that the defendant was liable for breach of duty. The Queen's Bench Division, in dismissing the claim, held that breach of duty had not been established. The doctor's care had been of an acceptable standard and there was no evidence to indicate that, had she offered another outpatient appointment, the deceased's death would have been prevented.