A civil servant who relocated to Darlington to work in the new HM Treasury office took her own life following a long battle with her mental health, a coroner has ruled. 

Eleanor Rimmington, 24, "flourished" in her role at the treasury in Darlington when she began work there in 2019 but an inquest at Crook Coroners' Court on January 11 found that she died by suicide on October 31, 2023. 

Emergency services forced their way into Miss Rimmington's home and sadly found her after concerns were raised by her line manager.

The inquest heard Miss Rimmington faced a long battle with mental health issues and was receiving help from her workplace, hospitals and crisis teams at Tees Esk and Wear Valley NHS Foundation Trust (TEWV). 

The court was told her issues partly stemmed from her teenage years after the death of her father following a cancer diagnosis in 2014.

Statements from Miss Rimmington's GP at Neasham Road Surgery, Darlington Memorial Hospital and the Tees Esk and Wear Valley NHS Foundation Trust crisis team were read to the court, detailing several hospital admissions and prescribed medications.

Last May, she attended Darlington Memorial Hospital and the psychiatric team expressed concern about Miss Rimmington, and "did not want her to leave". 

The court heard they wanted to admit her immediately but no beds were available.

Miss Rimmington was subsequently moved to The Priory Hospital in Norwich where she was "clearly very depressed" according to a statement from Dr Joan Bufton which was read to the court.

She said: "(Miss Rimmington) sometimes told mental health teams that she was fine, but she was not."

In another incident a month later, in June 2023, the court heard from Tees Esk and Wear Valley NHS Foundation Trust that Miss Rimmington "specifically said that her mother was not to be informed" about the treatment she was receiving.

Later in the year, in a telephone call to the trusts' crisis team in October 2023, she said she "had no plans to act" on negative thoughts. 

In a review on October 18, Miss Rimmington stated she "no longer needed crisis team support" and "denied any thoughts of harming herself."

Miss Rimmington's mum provided a short statement regarding their last meeting.

She said: "I last saw my daughter the weekend of October 21, ten days before she died and I stayed with her at her home.

"We talked about the cruise we were planning to take in January as well as an upcoming visit to the south to visit family."

The last recorded contact with Miss Rimmington and mental health teams was on October 27 in a face-to-face appointment, just four days before she died.

The court heard a statement from Claire Watson, manager of the community mental health team at West Park Hospital in Darlington, regarding this final appointment.

The statement said Miss Rimmington was "shy and quiet" and complained of "up and down mood".

It said: "She did not show any intentions of taking her own life. She was going to have ongoing support (with her mental health). 

"She did not want her family involved in her mental health support."

The last person to see Eleanor was her line manager at HM Treasury, who met her for lunch in Darlington the day before she died.

A statement from the manager told the court that Miss Rimmington appeared better than she had been and she was engaged and very chatty.

Assistant Coroner Leslie Hamilton concluded that Eleanor died of suicide.

He said: "Here we have a very moving and sad case to put through about a 24-year-old young woman who was very troubled by her mental health. 

"The evidence that I have from the crisis team is that they gave her very intensive support and she repeatedly turned them away.

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"From my point of view, we have a young woman with a troubled past who on the balance of probabilities took her own life."

The court was told an investigation into the care of Eleanor Rimmington by Tees Esk and Wear Valley NHS Foundation Trust is now taking place, and is due to report findings in May. 

If you are in need of support:

  • Samaritans are available, day or night, 365 days a year. You can call them for free on 116 123, email them at jo@samaritans.org, or visit www.samaritans.org to find your nearest branch.
  • If U Care Share on 0191 387 5661 or text IUCS to 85258.
  • SANE on 07984 967 708, Calm on 0800 58 58 58.
  • Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust crisis line 0800 0516 171.