A SOUTHAMPTON woman was found dead in a cemetery where her grandad was buried hours after she went missing, an inquest heard.

Southern Health NHS Foundation Trust have admitted they could have done more to prevent the death of Kay Hillier, who took her life after being allowed leave Melbury Lodge in Winchester in November.

Mrs Hillier was found dead in Bitterne Parish Church cemetery after overdosing on tablets and drinking more than twice the drink drive limit.

Winchester Coroner’s Court heard the 67-year-old, of Shales Road, Bitterne, suffered depression and had anxiety attacks.

The inquest heard her husband had taken his life in June 2000 and in 2016 her father died of Alzheimer’s Disease.

Ms Hillier’s sister Lesley Misslebrook said that after the death Mrs Hillier had undergone talking therapy, and appeared to be coping.

She said Mrs Hillier only started drinking in July, and had overdosed in October – a month before her death.

Mrs Misslebrook said she and her sister had visited a cemetery near Southampton Common on November 4, and said her sister was very quiet, on November 6, she was alerted after Mrs Hillier did not answer calls or texts.

After a search and having also alerted police, she believed that her sister’s body was in Bitterne Churchyard, where Mrs Hillier’s grandad is buried. Later that day, Mrs Misslebrook and her sister found Mrs Hillier’s body there.

The inquest heard Southern Health had tried to contact Mrs Hillier on Friday and Saturday and there is a protocol to cold call, if someone doesn’t answer phone calls, but this didn’t happen.

The inquest heard from consultant psychiatrist Dr Katherine Clyde, who explained Mrs Hillier was a voluntary patient at Melbury Lodge and had been referred there on October 21 following a suicide attempt.

The family of Mrs Hillier say that staff should not have let her leave.

Dr Clyde said: “There is a risk factor with alcohol. When speaking to Kay about that she acknowledged it is a problem and expressed it was something she planned to change.”

Pathologist Dr Vidhi Bhargava concluded she had been drinking for several hours before she was found dead.

Senior coroner Grahame Short recorded a verdict of suicide. He said that for some reason she did not get the phone calls from Southern Health, which was a factor in the note she left.

He said: “My issue is there was no follow up and no-one thought to go round to talk to her or contact her family.”

Since the inquest Southern Health say they have made improvements.

Dr Sarah Constantine, consultant psychiatrist and clinical director, said: “Kay’s death came as a shock to us all, especially those who had worked closely with her while she was in our care.

“A report into Kay’s death highlighted the need to ensure a clear process is in place should pre-arranged contacts or plans fall through. We are now working hard to implement this across our teams. I would like to extend my deepest condolences to Kay’s family at this difficult time.”