Barnet Inquest Finds NHS Worker Misled Court Over Patient Checks

A clinical support worker at a North London NHS Foundation Trust mental health ward in Barnet misled an inquest into the death of Najib Naagi by falsifying observation records, a coroner ruled. Naagi, 55, died on 4 January 2025 after being found unresponsive in his bed the previous day. The inquest, concluded in May 2026, determined his death was due to natural causes linked to chronic heart and lung failure.

Naagi had been placed on a secure ward where staff were required to check on him hourly through an observation panel. However, Senior Coroner for Inner North London Mary Hassell found that the worker on duty on 3 January 2025 had repeatedly claimed in her witness statement and oral evidence that she had conducted these checks as required. CCTV footage later disproved this, showing she had checked Naagi only twice in three hours, with a 90-minute gap between observations.

Trust Admits Systemic Failings

The North London NHS Foundation Trust, which operates mental health services across five north London boroughs including Barnet, admitted its record-keeping system for direct observations was flawed. The Trust’s policy requires staff to record checks immediately and only document what they have directly observed. However, its observation form pre-populated timings, forcing staff to amend or annotate records retrospectively if checks were delayed.

In a statement on 10 July 2026, the Trust’s Chief Medical Officer acknowledged the severity of the incident. The clinical support worker received a formal written warning and was placed on a performance improvement plan. This includes mandatory retraining in observation procedures, a competency assessment, and a record-keeping exercise.

Policy Overhaul and New Safeguards

Following the inquest, the Trust revised its observation form to allow staff to record the exact time of each check, rather than relying on pre-set intervals. It also updated its policy to explicitly require precise timings. Additional measures include monthly audits of observation records, out-of-hours reviews by senior managers, and daily safety huddles to monitor compliance.

The Trust operates across 50 locations, including mental health wards in Barnet. It is unclear which specific facility Naagi was admitted to, as the Trust did not disclose the ward’s location. MyLondon reported that the coroner’s findings raised concerns about the potential impact on other patients’ care due to inaccurate records.

What Happens Next

The clinical support worker remains employed by the Trust but is subject to ongoing monitoring under the performance improvement plan. The Trust has not indicated whether further disciplinary action is under consideration. Residents with concerns about mental health services in Barnet can contact the North London NHS Foundation Trust directly or raise issues through local NHS complaint procedures.