The family of a woman with severe mental health issues were not told she had been discharged by her private psychiatrist weeks before she took her own life.

Caroline Forte was 35 when she hanged herself in her parents’ home in Clifton Hill, Brighton last February.

Giving evidence yesterday, her family told an inquest at Leonardo Hotel Brighton that they had lost a “happy, fun-loving” relative.

Caroline's sister Liz Forte said the self-employed graphic designer had gone through an “acrimonious break up” during the pandemic which “hit her hard”.

Her mental health had been “quickly deteriorating” in the latter part of 2021 and, due to concerns for her welfare, she had been staying with Liz.

Caroline, who lived in Brighton, then went to Leeds to stay with her other sister Sandra Forte-Gill.

Today, the inquest heard evidence from Caroline’s private psychiatrist Dr Nikoloas Gkampranis.

Liz and Sandra had told the inquest they were unaware Dr Gkampranis had discharged their sister on January 5, 2022, weeks before Caroline took her own life.

Lucie Danti, the family's legal representative, asked Dr Gkampranis if he was aware that the family had “no idea” that she had been discharged.

Dr Gkampranis said he did not specifically tell them she had been discharged.

“I explained to the family that she would be in the care of the crisis team in Leeds,” said Dr Gkampranis.

“The family was aware that Caroline would be in different care and that I had no more say, but was on standby for information. I felt it was implied.”

Caroline took two overdoses while in Leeds and was detained under section 2 of the Mental Health Act, the inquest heard.

According to doctors from Leeds and York Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, Caroline was experiencing “full paranoid psychosis”, believing her phone had been hacked and other devices were compromised.

The family decided to transfer her to a hospital in Sussex so she could be nearer to her wider family.

Caroline arrived at Amberley Ward, the psychiatric unit of Eastbourne District General Hospital, on January 27, 2022.

The court also heard evidence from Dr Humaira Rafi, associate specialist psychiatrist and the responsible clinician when Caroline was on the ward, who met her at the hospital the following morning.

“Caroline was quiet, guarded and not engaging with us,” Dr Rafi told the inquest.

However, over her time at the ward, Dr Rafi said Caroline’s condition was improving.

On February 18, Caroline was discharged for a three-night weekend leave.

Dr Alfonso Russo, an acting consultant psychiatrist in Eastbourne, assessed her that day and told the inquest she was presenting well and had “improved a lot”, having previously been showing a “persistent element of paranoia”.

She was found dead in a bedroom at her parents’ home on February 20, 2022.

The inquest continues.