A CORONER has expressed concern over the death of a a Dutch native living in Radcliffe after the 20-year-old battled mental health problems without the assistance of a GP.

Gwen Oldekamp, was from Holland but had been living in Blackburn Street, and working for Booking.com, in Manchester in the time leading up to her death on Christmas Eve 2019.

A full inquest into her death started yesterday on January 25 at Rochdale Coroner’s Court by senior coroner Joanne Kearsley, questioning several multiple different witnesses asking them about the lead-up to Ms Oldekamp’s death at her home.

The court heard how Ms Oldekamp had been expressing suicidal thoughts and symptoms of depression to close work colleagues who recommended that she attend a walk-in centre for help with her mental health.

She was referred to two different nurses at the walk-in centre in Market Street, Manchester, on November 26, 2019, who recommended that she attended an A&E for further help.

Both nurses, Maureen Gallagher and Zoe Jordan, were questioned by the coroner at court, with both saying that Ms Oldekamp had disclosed how she had suicidal thoughts but that she managed to distract herself and didn’t let them consume her.

Neither nurse considered Ms Oldekamp to be in immediate danger, but Ms Jordan believed that she should be prescribed anti-depressants to help her.

She was therefore referred to A&E and was seen by a mental health nurse at North Manchester General Hospital later that day where she was seen by a mental health nurse.

Ms Oldekamp described to the nurse how she had felt low for many years and had suicidal thoughts on a daily basis.

She also said how she had tried to take her life four years previously in Holland, but was saved by a passer-by, the inquest was told.

However, she was not considered an immediate risk to herself as she was able to distract herself from suicidal thoughts and she cared deeply for the pets she owned which “relied on her”.

The main issue the coroner wanted to address was that none of these nurses could prescribe her anti-depressants, with all recommending that she sign up for a GP.

This concerned Mrs Kearsley as they had no way of checking on her and were simply relying on her to sign up to a GP and then make an emergency appointment to be prescribed anti-depressants, which all nurses agreed Ms Oldekamp urgently needed.

All of the nurses also agreed they were very limited in what they could do to help Ms Oldekamp.

The court heard that her problems were made much more difficult by the fact she was not signed up to a GP as she had been living in Radcliffe for only a matter of months.

It was at this point that the inquest was adjourned to a later date due to a power cut.

A statement read by Mrs Kearsley on behalf of the family said: “Gwen loved travelling and attending festivals and was a happy, loving and caring person.

“She was a loving daughter to her parents.”