ACTION is being taken to tighten procedures at a mental health unit - following the deaths of three patients who jumped from the top of 200ft cliffs.

A 15-point action plan has been drawn up after Anne Harris, 29, from Tiverton, Shaun Sheppard, 17, from Upton Pyne near Crediton, and Jamie Hague, 19, from Cullompton, leapt to their deaths at Salcombe Hill near Sidmouth in June 2002.

At the time, all three were in the care of a psychiatric team at The Cedars, Wonford House, Exeter, and were on Coombe-haven Ward.

Responding to a damning report on serious failures at the unit, board members of Devon Partnership NHS Trust agreed to wide ranging changes to the running of the Cedars unit.

The changes include reviewing the practice of admitting patients under 18 to adult wards and drawing up a 'clear policy' on how to deal with drug use, after it was discovered that illegal drugs were sold between patients on the ward.

The Trust also pledged to review staffing levels and workloads, and to introduce new guidelines for dealing with serious incidents.

For the full story see this week's Mid Devon Star