An Ipswich woman whose son took his own life has said a new report which identified over 8,000 'unexpected deaths' in three years among an NHS trust's patients made her 'sick to the stomach'.

Pippa Travis-Williams' son Henry was found dead in London in 2016, just days after he was found near a bridge and admitted to Wedgwood House in Bury St Edmunds. 

An independent audit into Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Trust, which provides mental health care in the region, identified 8,440 'unexpected deaths', defined as where a patient has "not been identified as critically ill or death is not expected" but who has died within six months of being in the trust's care.

Ms Travis-Williams said of the report: "It makes me feel sick in the pit of my stomach. All the work I did, the publicity and media coverage, after my son's death clearly has made very little difference.

"I wanted to make a change and for them to recognise that they were in the wrong. I wanted it to never happen again." 

The trust has struggled with poor performance in recent years and has been in special measures four times in the last decade. 

READ MORE: Mum of university student Henry fears more deaths at troubled mental health trust

Ms Travis-Williams, who worked in adult mental health at the trust before Henry died, said: "I've lost my only son, my life has been completely pulled to pieces. 

"I feel very sorry for all the other individuals who have gone through this. You never recover from this kind of loss," she added. 

The trust has not commented directly on the 8,440 figure and instead stated 259 people are known to have taken their own lives within six months of being in its care, since 2018.

A spokesperson said the trust has put an action plan in place that would look to improve recording and reporting going forward.

The plan includes establishing a committee for sharing learnings from deaths and relying more on automated recording systems.