A Metropolitan Police trainer took her own life after the actions of her employer made her mental health worse, an inquest has found.
Nicola Forster, 45, a safety training officer at Hendon Police College in north London, was found dead at her home in September 2022.
She developed post-traumatic stress disorder as a result of her work during the Grenfell Tower fire in 2017 and had been suffering with anxiety and depression, Central Bedfordshire Coroner’s Court previously heard.
The coroner concluded that Ms Forster’s mental health was ‘exacerbated’ by the actions of her employer.
The police trainer’s mental health declined from autumn 2021, when she found herself under increasing pressure at work and had lost access to counselling, the inquest heard.
Nicola Forster, 45, a safety training officer at Hendon Police College in North London developed mental health issues after working on the Grenfell Tower fire in 2017
Concluding an inquest into her death, coroner Emma Whitting said line management decisions had contributed to ‘a further significant deterioration’ in Ms Forster’s mental health.
The coroner also found Ms Forster could have been referred to occupational health (OH) for support and counselling at an earlier stage.
Ms Forster had said to colleagues that her line manager, Inspector Hayley Webb, was ‘out to get her’ and that she failed to act on requests for an occupational health referral, the inquest previously heard.
Ms Forster had also said to colleagues in text messages that Ms Webb was a bully who was ‘gunning’ for her.
Giving her findings, Ms Whitting said: ‘It is clear to the court that the Metropolitan Police service (MPS) were aware of Nikki’s mental health history and vulnerabilities. Furthermore, the MPS knew or could have discovered that her PTSD was work-related.
‘Following Nikki’s decline in her mental health, there were opportunities for Nikki to have been referred to OH at an earlier stage for support and counselling.
‘Line management decisions regarding Nikki reflected a focus on managing upwards and were supported by the senior leadership team; these were at the expense of Nikki’s personal and occupational welfare which contributed to a further significant deterioration in her mental health and, ultimately, to her death.’
An occupational health referral was discussed with Ms Webb, her line manager, in November 2021 but was not progressed until May 2022, when she was also issued with informal management action.
A coroner concluded that Ms Forster’s mental health was ‘exacerbated’ by the actions of her employer. She was found dead in her home in 2022 by her partner
Ms Forster’s mental health had declined further following a negative performance review, which Insp Webb brought up during the meeting, Bedfordshire coroner’s court was told
During an absence review on July 20 2022, Ms Forster told a welfare officer that receiving a ‘not performing’ grade on her recent performance review had ‘tipped her over the edge’, the court heard.
Ms Forster, who was born in Stockton-on-Tees, had been signed off from work approximately three months before her death, and had medication prescribed by her GP.
Ms Webb told the senior leadership team on September 6 2022 that Ms Forster’s PTSD was not work-related and ‘should not attract favourable discretion’, and her pay should not be extended as a result, the inquest heard.
The night before her death, Ms Forster told her partner Dr Amy Popple that she was struggling to sleep, the inquest previously heard.
Dr Popple wrote in a statement that she had become very emotional about how she was perceived by her team when she was told they ‘had no faith in her’.
Forster had confided in her ‘close friend’ and colleague Liz Hockley that she had asked Insp Webb for an occupational health referral in February 2022 but she had not completed one.
In an emotional email to Hockley, Forster said she felt like a ‘target’ because Insp Webb ‘saw a weakness at that time’ and that she had ‘not been supported by the organisation when I needed help’.
‘I massively feel that this is discrimination… I could understand if I hadn’t asked for support – but I did,’ she wrote.
‘Hayley Webb forced my staff into talking about me… I’ve had almost 23 years in this job and never have I been treated like this by a line manager.’
Ms Forster spoke with Dr Popple the night before she was found dead in which she said she had taken a sleeping pill as she was struggling to sleep, but it had not worked.
She was found dead at her home on September 28, 2022, when Popple went to her house in the morning after growing concerned when she could not get in contact with her.
The front and back doors were locked and keys were in the doors from the inside.
She was found dead in her house in Biggleswade, Bedfordshire, by her partner on September 28 2022.
Clare Davies, Chief People and Resources Officer, said: ‘Our thoughts remain with the family and friends of Sergeant Nicola Forster. We are truly saddened by the loss of a colleague, and in such tragic circumstances.
‘It is a matter of deep regret that Nicola took her life and didn’t feel well enough supported through the range of support the Met had been providing in the months leading up to Nicola’s death.
‘It is vitally important that all our officers and staff feel properly supported at work. Ensuring the organisation does this well is all-the-more essential given the significant demands that come with working in policing.
‘Over recent months we have been investing heavily to improve officer and staff wellbeing. This includes better trauma support, increasing the amount of psychological screening, launching an enhanced wellbeing programme and increasing our team of counsellors.
‘Alongside, we are introducing new leadership development programmes at all levels to ensure we are proactively supporting our line managers in building and maintaining the skills they need, as well as increasing the level of local specialist HR support in place for managers who are often dealing with complex people issues.
‘We will now carefully work through the Coroner’s findings to learn any lessons as an organisation.’
