A bright and much-loved former teacher died from an overdose of over-the-counter painkillers, an inquest heard.

Kimberley Lee Drinnan, 35, died on September 30, 2019, after struggling with mental health and alcohol issues, Bolton Coroner's Court heard.

In the six months prior to her death, she attended the emergency department at Royal Bolton Hospital 28 times.

Ms Drinnan, who grew up in Kearsley, had completed a degree in Japanese at Liverpool John Moore’s University.

She lived in Japan for around a decade working as an English teacher, before returning to Bolton where she had grown up.

Ms Drinnan, of Oakford Walk, returned to the town in 2017 and lived in a flat in Deane.

It was upon her return that her family noticed a marked difference from the woman who had left for Japan, as she started “drinking regularly to excess".

Evidence from Dr Ratnarajah, Ms Drinnan’s GP at Shanti Medical Centre on St Helen’s Road, described her history of depression, borderline personality disorder and emotionally unstable personality disorder.

Ms Drinnan was known to take overdoses of over-the-counter painkillers and then being admitted to A&E at Royal Bolton, reporting suicidal ideation.

She would be moved from A&E onto mental health wards, such as the Oak Ward, and remain there.

Siobhan Barlow, manager of the Oak Ward at the time of Ms Drinnan’s admissions there, described how she felt “safe and supported” in hospital.

A consultant in emergency medicine, Dr Damian Bates said in the six months prior to her death, Ms Drinnan attended the emergency department at Royal Bolton Hospital 28 times.

The most frequent reasons for attending A&E were intoxication and overdose.

Three days prior to her death in 2019, Ms Drinnan ingested “a significant quantity” of painkillers and was taken to A&E at Royal Bolton.

She was then moved to critical care and died on September 30, 2019.

Pathologist Dr Patrick Waugh identified Ms Drinnan’s cause of death as “fulminant liver failure, as a result of paracetamol overdose",

In closing, Senior Coroner Timothy Brennand said: “The problems Kimberley had can be time referenced to her return to England.

“Her life isn’t thus defined by the final two years or so of it.”

He commended Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust for their work tending to Ms Drinnan, saying: “It is important that the Trust understands that this court can occasionally be critical, but it’s equally the case where best and good practice is demonstrated that the court should say so.”

Mr Brennand gave a short form conclusion of misadventure, citing the intentional taking of large quantities of over-the-counter painkillers, but ruling that on the balance of probabilities there wasn’t a more than minimal indication that Ms Drinnan had intended to end her life.

He closed by paying tribute to her, saying: “I know that Kimberley was much loved, I know she had a life that was brimming with potential.

“She was bright, articulate, had insight, was well travelled and had so much to give.

“Fix on the positive, that sense of humour. I hope these proceedings will assist you with closure of the process. For your loss, I’m very sorry.”

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