Anger at fire death woman's care

Mother of two Lisa O'Sullivan died in a fire at her home

The sister of a woman who died hours after she was taken to hospital for her own safety believes she would be alive had doctors done more to help her.

Lisa O'Sullivan, 40, was arrested by police under the Mental Health Act when she threatened to set herself alight.

Six hours later she was found dead following a fire at her Cardiff home.

Cardiff and Vale NHS Trust said in a statement it has offered to send staff to brief Ms O'Sullivan's family on the care she was receiving.

Ms O'Sullivan's family have said they suspect she started the fire at her home on 16 January herself.

The mother of two was suffering depression - her mother was critically ill in hospital - and her family believe she was desperate for help

Her sister, Maria Cooper, said: "She'd had some help in the past but she certainly didn't get it when she needed it most."

The fire started hours after Ms O'Sullivan left hospital

Ms O'Sullivan, a care assistant, had suffered from mental illness in the past and had a history of suicide attempts.

On Sunday, 16 January, she went to a petrol station in Cardiff and threatened to douse herself with petrol and set herself alight.

Police arrested her under the Mental Health Act and took her to Cardiff's Whitchurch hospital where she was admitted at around 1630 GMT.

Shortly afterwards, it is understood Ms O'Sullivan was assessed by a senior doctor who decided she could not be detained under the Mental Health Act.

It was arranged for her to be seen at the University Hospital of Wales a few miles away.

However, Ms O'Sullivan did not want to stay and was not forced to do so.

Ms O'Sullivan was first taken to Whitchurch Hospital

By 2230 GMT, a fire had started at her house and she was dead

Her son, Kyle Sidoryk, said: "She had some problems, like most people. She was as good as gold though.

Asked if she would still be alive if she had been kept in hospital, Mr Sidoryk said: "She would have been, most definitely."

Four days after hearing about Ms O'Sullivan's death, her mother also died.

Her sister, Maria Cooper, said: "There's no words to describe how I'm feeling at the moment.

"(I want) somebody to tell me why they let my sister out."

The family added it is considering a formal complaint.

In a statement, the Cardiff and Vale NHS Trust, which runs Whitchurch and University hospitals, said the matter "is the subject of a coroner's inquest."

The statement went on: "The Trust conveys its condolences to the family and has offered to send senior staff to brief them on the nature of the care she was receiving."