They died within eight weeks at the Priory's Cheadle Royal hospital. One had heard stories of celebrity stays at the provider's facilities. Her mum says it was 'nothing like what you see on the telly'. Chris Slater reports on the tragic cases of Deseree Fitzpatrick, Lauren Bridges and Beth Matthews.
Deseree Fitzpatrick was going through a difficult period in her life. She had been living in sheltered accommodation and was struggling with her mental health.
The three young women were NHS patients referred to the privately-run psychiatric hospital in the Stockport village for treatment for personality disorders. They were on funded placements. Deseree, Lauren and Beth's deaths happened on three separate wards and were not linked.Lauren, who had autism, was more than 250 miles from her family home for seven months. An inquest returned a conclusion of misadventure after she was found hanged.
"With nearly 500 people admitted last year, Cheadle Royal Hospital cares for some of the most complex and acutely unwell patients in the country and while it is impossible to eliminate risk, unexpected deaths are still rare," bosses added. "We remain committed to ensuring we provide the highest quality and safest services to the people we support."
Following the three deaths, health watchdog the Care Quality Commission carried out an unannounced inspection at the Cheadle facility. It is unclear exactly what sparked that visit. None of the wards inspected were those attended by Beth, Deseree or Lauren. Her daughter suffered a number of traumatic events in her life. Deseree was admitted to the Priory as a voluntary patient due to the risk of her self-harming and for alcohol detoxification. She was said to be 'upbeat'.
Mr Bridgman said those observations were 'awfully inadequate... grossly inadequate', but concluded they did not cause Deseree's death as she 'would have died within two to three minutes of aspirating the contents of her stomach'. Angela said her daughter's death continues to have an enormous effect on her life, affecting her own mental and physical health. "I miss her so much," she added. "Not hearing her saying 'Mum can you give me a lift?', or 'Mum have u got...?'. But most of all, I miss when she used to tell me she loved me.
Supporting calls for a public inquiry into the issue of psychiatric unit deaths more widely, Angela added: "There will be more deaths. I'm sure of that unless we do something about it - and quick." Lauren Bridges The overwhelming grief felt by Angela and her loved ones would be felt by another family just weeks later. Lauren Bridges was originally transferred to Cheadle Royal in July 2021 - against her and her family's wishes.
Lauren went into cardiac arrest and was rushed to Wythenshawe Hospital. Mum Lindsey and her family frantically made the six-hour journey to south Manchester to be at her bedside. Jurors also noted there was 'insufficient communication about Lauren from Priory Cheadle to relevant parties' to aid with her discharge. They said the 'prolonged' stay at the hospital caused 'iatrogenic deterioration' - a medical term for harm caused by a setting, placement or treatment.
Following the hearing, Ms Bridges said her daughter had been 'horribly failed'. She thanked the jury 'for recognising the failings in Lauren's care'. Ms Bridges said she hoped lessons would be learned and that 'it is vital changes are made to how people with mental illnesses and autistic people, particularly younger women, are cared for.
Beth touched many lives. The child support worker, and talented sailor, was transferred to Cheadle Royal's Fern Unit - a 10-bed facility dedicated to women with personality disorders. She quickly became seriously unwell and was rushed to Wythenshawe Hospital. Resuscitation attempts, including the administering of another substance in an attempt to counteract what Beth had taken, were not successful.
"The passing of Beth that day was wholly avoidable and her death was completely unnecessary," her loved ones added. "We have been tragically let down by the Priory, who we believed were providing a safe place for Beth and the care that she needed. Calls for public enquiry - and CQC inspection "Mental health care providers must listen to and act on the findings of this inquest," Beth's sister said following the inquest jury's conclusion. "We do not wish to see or hear of other families having to endure the grief, unimaginable loss, and anguish that we have been through.
In January, the CQC carried out an unannounced inspection at Cheadle Royal. It is unclear exactly why. The watchdog simply said it was carried out amid 'concerns about safety'. Inspectors said the wards themselves were not always well maintained, with graffiti and broken windows noted, and there wasn't easy access to outside space. They also said 'discharge planning was generic and only developed as children and young people approached discharge.'
The Priory said it was 'disappointed' and that bosses 'disputed the factual accuracy of many aspects of the report'. The group's CEO Rebekah Cresswell said they had invested £2m in the hospital since January last year and that 'misrepresentation of our service is unhelpful both to them and to our dedicated and hard-working staff'.
Ireland Latest News, Ireland Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Three dead and severe warnings in effect after three days of Storm Babet chaosFlood warnings remain in place across parts of Greater Manchester
Read more »
Inside the 'impressive' apartment in Ye Priory CourtThe three bedroom apartment is described as 'oozing' with character
Read more »
Three ways the Tories could still win the general election – and three ways Labour could blow itRishi Sunak is heading for a big defeat at the next general election but there may still be ways he can turn it around
Read more »
Three guilty of murdering man shot near primary schoolTaylor Cox, 19, died after being shot in the head in an alleyway near a primary school in Hornsey.
Read more »
Republicans drop Jim Jordan as House speaker nominee after three failed votesMr Jordan lost 25 Republican colleagues in Friday’s vote.
Read more »
Republicans drop Jim Jordan as House speaker nominee after three failed votesMr Jordan lost 25 Republican colleagues in Friday’s vote.
Read more »