In this section we feature articles about the Mental Health Trusts, Private hospitals operating in Greater Manchester. The two Trusts are the Greater Manchester Mental Health Foundation Trust and Pennine Care NHS Foundation Trust.

Our intention is to be able to identify issues and concerns across the services and we do this through monitoring media coverage of mental health services in our City Region.

As you will read below, there is growing evidence of systemic problems that have led to tragic outcomes. Between April and July 2022 alone there were 12 press reports of Inquests and Court cases involving GMMHT and Pennine Trust’s.

If you have any information that you think we should know about and that we can share here please let us know.

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February 2024

Plagued by safety fears, Greater Manchester Mental Health Trust, our biggest mental health service has had another terrible report

One ward inspected was found to be ‘not fit for purpose’, according to latest findings.Another report has been published. Greater Manchester’s biggest mental health service is still plagued by safety fears, with buildings that ‘do not protect the dignity, privacy and safety of patients’, inspectors have again found. The region’s largest mental health provider has been under scrutiny for almost 18 months after a host of failings to the most vulnerable patients came to light.

Care Quality Commission (CQC) inspectors rated Greater Manchester Mental Health Trust (GMMH) ‘inadequate’ following an inspection in 2023. Months later, in June last year, the watchdog again carried out an unannounced inspection after receiving information on concerns about the ‘safety and quality of services’. The latest findings were published today (Tuesday, February 7). Inspectors said psychiatric wards and intensive care units still have safeguarding problems; almost half of staff remain untrained in some key areas on one ward; and actions have not been taken to tackle safeguarding incidents.

Patients themselves gave mixed feedback about their experiences of care and treatment on the wards. Patients said they ‘generally felt safe on the wards and those that did not reported that this was often due to other patients’ behaviour or the general acuity of the ward’. However, patients were concerned ‘about the high levels of bank and agency staff used on the wards and that the quality of care these staff delivered could differ significantly’, the report said, adding: “Patients felt that non-permanent staff were less caring and less interested in supporting patients on the ward.”

Police probe continuing into alleged mistreatment of patients at under-fire mental health trust unit

Three members of staff are still being investigated, while 32 have ben told no further action will be taken against them. A police probe into the alleged mistreatment of patients at a unit run by under-fire Greater Manchester Mental Health Trust is ongoing, the Manchester Evening News has learned. Three staff remain under investigation by Greater Manchester Police, while 32 others have been told they face no further action.

Mental health trust denied patients ‘basic dignity and human rights’

Mental health trust denied patients ‘basic dignity and human rights’, prioritised white people and fostered ‘culture of fear and intimidation’ despite extra scrutiny after being exposed by Panorama investigation in 2022. A review into a mental health trust found patients were denied ‘basic dignity and human rights’ and staff were afraid to speak out in a culture of ‘fear and intimidation’. The independent report into Edenfield Centre, near Manchester, also found that patients who were white were ‘prioritised’ and ethnic minority staff members at the Trust felt there was ‘no point’ in applying for promotion

Independent report into abuses at GMMH published – see main findings and recommendations

Here is a useful summary from the BBC of the main findings of the recently published independent report into GMMH and Edenfield. The report outlines a series of recommendations for the trust, which include ensuring patient, family and staff voices are heard “at every level” and creating a culture where quality of care is the “utmost priority”. Other recommendations include a call to adapt to problems caused by staff shortages, to address the poor state of some building, and for a review into oversight to “prevent tragedies like those seen at Edenfield from reoccurring”. The independent report, led by Prof Oliver Shanley OBE, found the trust repeatedly missed opportunities to act on concerns, alongside a culture of “suppressing bad news”. It found the Panorama broadcast exposed the “most shocking abuse and poor care” of vulnerable patients, and that concerns raised by families were “not always taken seriously”. It added that in some services, patients had been denied “basic dignity and their human rights”

January 2024

Latest dehumanising failure of our most vulnerable as more than HALF of Manchester mental health patients not being read rights

Manchester leaders have again slammed the failing mental health trust after months of promised improvements – to little avail. More than half of Manchester mental health patients are not being read their rights within two weeks of being sectioned. Just 47 per cent of patients in south Manchester and only 41 per cent of patients in north Manchester are being read their rights within the first two weeks of admission to hospital after being detained under the Mental Health Act, also known as being sectioned. The Manchester Evening News can reveal the shocking data after it was aired in a small council meeting to monitor Greater Manchester Mental Health Trust’s (GMMH) performance after more than a year of revelations about patient abuse, neglect and failure of patients.

December 2023

Mental health bosses can’t say whether disgusting patient abuse uncovered in Greater Manchester hospital is still happening

Some staff were filmed by an undercover Panorama reporter embedded in the unit, the footage appeared to show patients being bullied, humiliated, swore at and taunted. Mental health bosses could not say whether the kind of abuse uncovered in one in-patient psychiatric facility is still happening across Greater Manchester’s mental health services.

Greater Manchester Mental Health Trust apology after Horwich death

A 75-year-old man with depression was discovered dead after the NHS Trust responsible for his treatment missed up to five visits. There was “no continuity of care”. Robert Leigh, from Horwich, was discovered dead at his home this year in what coroner Professor Dr Alan Walsh ruled as a suicide.

Nearly a third of staff absences in the Greater Manchester Mental Health Trust are stress-related

Nearly a third of staff absences in the Greater Manchester Mental Health Trust over the past year were stress-related, new figures show.Health think tank The King’s Fund said staff shortages across the NHS must be addressed to ease stress and heavy workloads. NHS Digital figures show there were roughly 48,500 full-time equivalent days lost due to stress-related absences in the year to June at Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust – accounting for 32.9% of the total 147,200 days lost. It is up from 32.2% of staff absences in 2021-22. The figures cover all professionally qualified clinical staff, clinical support staff, and infrastructure support staff who were absent due to anxiety, stress, depression or other psychiatric illnesses.

Almost 15,000 Manchester children in contact with mental health services

Almost 15,000 children in Manchester were in contact with mental health services in the year to September, new figures show.It comes as more children than ever accessed mental health services across England, with the number of open referrals having almost doubled throughout the coronavirus pandemic.Mental health charity YoungMinds said the Government is failing to take action against a “deepening” crisis.NHS Digital figures show around 14,800 children in the former NHS Manchester CCG area were in contact with mental health services in the year to September.

November 2023

Greater Manchester mental health service under ‘sustained pressure’

Mental health services across Greater Manchester are coming under “sustained pressure” due to a £90m shortfall in investment, a watchdog has found. The city region’s Integrated Care Board, which reviews how NHS cash is spent, said mental health provision had levels of investment below the national average. The board said “fundamental changes” were needed. Greater Manchester Mental Health Trust said it was making improvements. The board’s findings, reported by the Local Democracy Reporting Service, come after the trust was issued with a Section 29A warning notice by the Care Quality Commission in April 2022, which deemed it inadequate following an inspection.

Mental health services in the city region are suffering from a chronic shortfall in investment compared to elsewhere in the UK

Mental health services across Greater Manchester are suffering from £90 million of under-investment, according to a shocking report. The revelation follows an ‘independent diagnostic’ commissioned by Greater Manchester Integrated Care Board, which concluded the huge shortfall compared to elsewhere in the UK.

Priory Mental health hospital group that owns Cheadle Royal faces criminal charges over patient killed by train

Matthew Caseby, who was left unattended for more than six minutes before absconding from Priory Hospital Woodbourne in Birmingham, an inquest heard. The Priory mental health hospital group has been has been charged with exposing a patient to a significant risk of avoidable harm after a vulnerable man was killed by a train after absconding from a mental health hospital.

Tormented mental health nurse found dead following stay at GMMHT psychiatric hospital ‘We tried our absolute darnedest to make people listen and we were not heard’

A mental health nurse tormented by her sister’s death was found dead at home following a stay at a psychiatric hospital, an inquest heard. Natalie Cunliffe’s loved ones – devastated after her sibling took her own life – told a coroner their concerns were not ‘taken seriously’ by staff during her treatment.

‘GMMH should be screaming from the rooftops’: Our mental health service needs £90m now

Senior councillors message to health bosses “What kind of loud noise is being made about being under-provided with cash in Greater Manchester in comparison with other areas and shouldn’t people in the health service and politics be screaming from the rooftops about it? If not, why aren’t they? Because I’m sure that resonates with people.”

October 2023

Family of a man who took his own life at GMMHT psychiatric hospital brand failings as a ‘disgrace’

The family of a man who took his own life while in the care of a psychiatric hospital have branded failings in his treatment as a “disgrace”. Dad-of-two Niall Tyrell had been under 24-hour observations, but a failure in communication meant after being transferred to another ward, he was only checked every 15 minutes. It was during one of those breaks he tried to take his own life and was found unresponsive in his bedroom, in Park House, in the grounds of North Manchester General Hospital. Greater Manchester Mental Health Trust, which runs the unit and is currently rated as inadequate by the Care Quality Commission, admitted to failings at Niall’s inquests.

Priory Mental health hospital group that owns Cheadle Royal faces criminal charges over patient killed by train

Matthew Caseby, who was left unattended for more than six minutes before absconding from Priory Hospital Woodbourne in Birmingham, an inquest heard. The Priory mental health hospital group has been has been charged with exposing a patient to a significant risk of avoidable harm after a vulnerable man was killed by a train after absconding from a mental health hospital.

Tormented mental health nurse found dead following stay at GMMHT psychiatric hospital ‘We tried our absolute darnedest to make people listen and we were not heard’

A mental health nurse tormented by her sister’s death was found dead at home following a stay at a psychiatric hospital, an inquest heard. Natalie Cunliffe’s loved ones – devastated after her sibling took her own life – told a coroner their concerns were not ‘taken seriously’ by staff during her treatment. Mum-of-two Ms Cunliffe, described as ‘beautiful inside and out’, was found hanged at her home in Tyldesley, Wigan, on February 6. She was 29. An inquest into her death – attended by her parents, sibling and partner – at BoltonCoroners’ Court examined her care by mental health medics prior to her death.

Priory Cheadle Royal mental health hospital – where three young woman died within eight weeks – ordered to make improvements by watchdog after critical inspection report

A mental health hospital where three women died within eight weeks has been criticised by the health watchdog and issued a notice ordering bosses to make improvements. The Care Quality Commission (CQC) said changes need to be made on acute wards for adults, and on psychiatric intensive care units, at the Cheadle Royal Hospital, also known as The Priory.

Greater Mental Health Trust and Trafford Council rapped over £8K bill which caused ‘avoidable distress and worry’ Ombudsman critical of NHS trust and council over £8K bill which caused ‘avoidable distress and worry’

Mental health and town hall bosses rapped over £8K bill which caused ‘avoidable distress and worry’. Mental health and town hall bosses have been rapped for causing a man and his family eight months of ‘avoidable distress and worry ’ over an £8,000 bill for supported living they had not been warned about. Although the bill was eventually waived, the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman has criticised Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust – acting on behalf of Trafford council – about the way the man’s discharge from hospital was handled.

July 2023

Staff faced racism at yet another of GMMH troubled mental health units, review finds

Staff fear racism from fellow colleagues as well as patients – and worry there will be no action taken or even retribution after speaking up “This review focused on Park House; however, we know that people in other areas report the same experiences…”

Park House is a mental health unit at North Manchester General Hospital, run by the troubled Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust (GMMH). The unit was investigated amid concerns about its culture, treatment and discriminatory practices affecting staff.

The review, carried out by GMMH, found racism was ‘present within cultural and social structures, systems and within our organisation’. Ethnically-diverse staff were found to have felt unsafe because of ‘racial abuse from patients and that abuse has not been dealt with effectively resulting in loss of faith in the system’.

June 2023

Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust has been criticised in an independent investigation into the care and treatment of Ashley Rowen

Mental health staff did not effectively act upon a man’s grave concerns reported to them about his severely unwell cousin – hours before he was brutally murdered by him. Mental health staff caring for Rowen did not ‘adequately reflect and/or assess either his historic or most recent risk incidents’ – which included attacking his elderly grandfather, a domestic violence conviction, and threatening his own mother while in possession of a knife, the report says.
The NHS has published an independent investigation into the care and treatment of Ashley Rowen, also known as Ashley Glennon, by Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust (GMMH). The mentally ill Rowen chased his cousin and main carer, Ryan Lowry, down the street and struck him 13 times with an axe in Partington on February 27, 2020.

‘Muddle, frustration and distrust’ at ‘most mature’ Greater Manchester Integrated Care System

Multiple problems have been highlighted with the leadership and governance of a much-vaunted integrated care system, including a lack of trust between organisations which often hide information that could weaken their position.
HSJ has seen an executive summary of the review of Greater Manchester ICS, which cited widespread concerns around the allocation of resources, confusion about the role of commissioning, and “muddled” governance.

It was conducted by consultancy firm Carnall Farrar, which held interviews and forums with more than 200 leaders in the system.

Black patients in Greater Manchester more than three times as likely as white patients to be detained

Black patients in Greater Manchester were more than three times as likely as white patients to be detained under the Mental Health Act last year, new figures show.
NHS England figures show about 2,255 white patients were detained in NHS Greater Manchester Integrated Care Board’s area the year to March 2022, while 285 patients detained were black or black British.

However, the rate of detentions when taking population size into account was higher for black patients, at 318 per 100,000 people compared to 98 per 100,000 for those that identified as white.

It meant black patients were 3.2 times as likely to be subject to a mental health detention in 2021-22. Jabeer Butt, CEO of the Race Equality Foundation, said the figures are “not new or surprising. The real question is why has this not changed, despite being well documented over a number of years, not just with these new figures. The health and care system fails to invest in early intervention even though this has been highlighted as an issue for a long time,” she said.

May 2023

High Court Application For Judicial Review Over Failure To Involve Service Users In Plans To Change Community Mental Health Services Across Greater Manchester

Public Law And Human Rights Lawyers Instructed By Service User To Issue Legal Challenge Into NHS Trust’s “Ongoing Failure” To Involve Public In Planning Process

‘I was forcibly restrained and injected with medication I didn’t want for months’ – They were at their lowest and this is how they were treated

Helena Vesty reports the latest in the Greater Manchester Mental Health Trust saga – as those needing help most speak of feeling abandoned by those supposed to be looking after them and being ‘shipped’ to distant parts of the country in their most distressing days.

GMMH publish Draft Improvement Plan to address Edenfield scandal and other service failings

This improvement journey will only succeed if the views of our service users, their families and carers, alongside those of our staff and stakeholders, are central to the development and implementation of our detailed plans.

The system is failing and these people deserved so much more

Manchester Evening News look at the fall of Greater Manchester’s Mental Health Trust – they ask what went wrong and why are many of the board members who presided over the failures listed in this piece are still leading the trust?

April 2023

Neil Thwaite, CEO of GMMH NHS Trust which runs Edenfield Centre to resign

Neil Thwaite, the CEO of GMMH NHS Trust in charge of the mental health unit in Prestwich at the centre of an undercover Panorama probe is set to step down from his role.

March 2023

GMMH pilot project to reduce reliance on mental health services and promote eventual independence set for expansion following initial success

A pilot mental health service in the north west could be set for an expansion after its first eight months was heralded a success. The service comes in the form of the Home Engagement and Rehabilitation Team (HEART) at Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust (GMMH) which was set up to reduce reliance on mental health services and promote eventual independence.

NHS England accused of ‘massive betrayal’ over police-led SIM scheme

A policy to protect patients from the controversial SIM scheme has been indefinitely delayed NHS England has been accused by campaigners of a “massive betrayal” as it appeared to shelve a long-awaited policy to safeguard mental health patients accessing emergency care. The SIM scheme sees police embedded in clinical teams to help manage patients who persistently call emergency services.

NHS staff morale at the Greater Manchester Mental Health Trust at record low

Morale amongst staff at the Greater Manchester Mental Health Trust is at a record low, new figures show. Morale among staff was scored at 5.5 out of 10 in autumn 2022 – down from 5.8 the year before and the lowest since comparable records began in 2018. 

CQC tells Greater Manchester Mental Health Trust to make further improvement

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) has told Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust it must make improvements following an inspection of their community-based mental health services for people of working age in October.

GMMH publish Draft Improvement Plan to address Edenfield scandal and other service failings

“This improvement journey will only succeed if the views of our service users, their families and carers, alongside those of our staff and stakeholders, are central to the development and implementation of our detailed plans.”

‘We saw staff laughing at the people they were supposed to be looking after’

Inspectors found ‘disproportionate levels of restraint’, ‘care plans not being followed’, ‘people spending most of their time along in their rooms’. The Breightmet Centre for Autism in Bolton has been deemed ‘inadequate’ for a second consecutive time by health watchdog the Care Quality Commission (CQC). A damming report has now been released. 

February 2023

Police in England and Wales dealing with more mental health crises than ever. Forces say increase highlights erosion of mental health services in recent years

The police are dealing with increasing demands to intervene with people suffering mental health crises, freedom of information requests have revealed. Some forces across England and Wales have experienced a tripling in mental health requests between 2019 and 2021, data shows. 

Scandal-rocked Greater Manchester Mental Health Services hit with ‘inadequate’ rating as hospital wards branded unsafe

GMMH Trust has already been the subject of multiple investigations, the highest level of scrutiny from NHS England and being placed ‘in the equivalent of special measures’ Greater Manchester’s scandal-hit mental health services have been served with another warning notice to improve after inspectors found wards for older people were unsafe.  

Almost 2,000 face long waits for mental health treatment in Manchester

Almost 2,000 people waited more than three months for a second mental health treatment in Manchester last year, figures show. As of November, around 4,315 people were waiting for a first treatment in Manchester. The findings come as a leading staff body for the profession says it is “unacceptable” so many are suffering delays

Bournemouth woman who died after being”left alone, far from home with no treatment” at Priory Hospital in Stockport was failed by mental health system, inquest told

Lauren Bridges was “left alone, far from home with no treatment”, her mother said. Lauren who was autistic, died while she was detained at Priory psychiatric hospital in Stockport, 250 miles (400 km) from her home. She was “massively failed by the mental health system”, an inquest jury has heard.

Bolton Hospital’s A&E gets important warning about mental health patients

However the A&E received praised for having competent staff, an effective leadership team, and treated patients with respect and kindness. The rating for safe in the emergency department has moved down from good to requires improvement amid concerns that people attending with mental ill health often experienced long delays in being assessed.

 Professor Oliver Shanley appointed as Independent Chair of the Independent Review of GMMH Services

 In November 2022, NHS England (NHSE) placed GMMH into NHS Oversight Framework (OF) segment 4 and enrolling the Trust into the Recovery Support Programme. At the same time, NHSE advised GMMH that they planned to commission an independent review into the Trust’s services. 

January 2023

Record number of Greater Manchester Mental Health Trust staff resigned last year

A record number of staff left their posts at the Greater Manchester Mental Health Trust last year, new figures show. NHS Digital figures, which are rounded to the nearest five, show around 800 NHS staff resigned from their roles at Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust in 2021-22. 

Death of ‘caring’ young woman at GMMH mental health unit contributed to by ‘ineffective’ policies, inquest concludes

Ania Sohail, 22, collapsed after ingesting medication bought online whilst a patient at the Junction 17 unit in Prestwich The death of a “kind” and “caring” young woman at a mental health unit in Bury was contributed to by “ineffective” policies in place at the time, an inquest jury have concluded. 

GMMH NHS trust investigated over alleged potential edits to records after death of patient

NHS trust investigated over alleged potential edits to records after death of patient Charlie Millers, 17, was found dead in his room at Prestwich mental health hospital in December 2020. The charity Inquest, which is supporting Millers’ family, described the new evidence as “deeply concerning”.

Ministers order ‘rapid review’ into mental health inpatient care in England

Dr Geraldine Strathdee to investigate care units after series of scandals involving abuse or neglect of vulnerable patients in psychiatric in-patient services Denis Campbell Ministers have ordered an inquiry into the quality of care in mental health inpatient units in England after a series of scandals in which vulnerable patients were abused or neglected. 

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December 2022

Dainius Pūras, psychiatrist, former UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights and Mental Health

Dainius Pūras, psychiatrist, former UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights and Mental Health speaks about the predominant importance of human rights in shifting the thinking and practice of bio-medical psychiatry across the world and in Manchester. 

Bill McCarthy, former NHS boss to take over scandal-hit Greater Manchester mental health services

Bill McCarthy, a former NHS director has been revealed as the new chair of Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust (GMMH). The appointment follows after ‘inexcusable behaviour and examples of unacceptable care’ were ‘exposed’ at a mental health unit, said the outgoing chair. 

The mental health patients dying on GMMH NHS wards from neglect

Investigation: Scores of patients in mental health units have died from physical illnesses that could have been avoided. Rebecca Thomas uncovers systemic issues in the health service that experts say are leading to the neglect of the vulnerable. 

Yvonne Eaves died from a blood clot while an inpatient at the Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust in 2020, after staff within the unit failed to carry out a risk assessment for blood clots.

Great Manchester coroner Nigel Meadows attributed her death to “a gross failure to provide her with basic medical care”. Hers is one of four cases in which coroners warned of inadequate blood clot assessment and treatment within inpatient units.

Gill Green, of the Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust, said improvements had been made to physical healthcare provision, including a new strategy and the introduction of new job roles with a physical healthcare focus.

‘Staggering’ rise in restraint of black people in mental healthcare

• Figures show steep rise in rates of black people receiving restrictive interventions
• Rates double in six years, but up 30 per cent for white people in same period
• Charities “appalled”, warning that data “reinforces impact of systemic racism” on safety 

Dad struggling with his mental health died hours after asking hospital staff for a bed

A dad who asked for a bed at mental health hospital in Wigan, Greater Manchester, died hours after being told he would not be admitted, an inquest heard. Darren McHugh, 39, told mental health professionals he was hearing voices, felt paranoid and wanted to be treated on a mental health ward. 

Coroner asks GMMH “Is it ever appropriate to tell a patient ‘we will see you tomorrow’ if a referral had not been made?

Daniel Kirton tragically died following the collision, which came after he had attempted to take his own life on hospital grounds following his discharge by mental health practitioners. He had attended Manchester Royal Infirmary’s emergency department earlier that afternoon, December 3, 2020, and was assessed by staff from the Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust

November 2022

Charm’s response to the placing of Greater Manchester Mental Health Trust in ‘intensive care’ by NHS

Concerns raised by CHARM, service users, their families, and staff, some of which have been presented through the media have led to NHS England commissioning an independent review into the services provided by GMMH. The Trust has also been placed in ‘intensive care’ through the NHS Recovery Support Programme. Yesterday the CQC also told Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust to make significant improvements and have suspended their rating. Given these circumstance we call for roots and branch review of mental health support of people in crisis across Greater Manchester.

Greater Manchester Mental Health Trust put on ‘highest level of intervention’ by NHS

Greater Manchester Mental Health trust is now under the highest level of NHS England scrutiny, the M.E.N. can confirm, following allegations that patients were abused. Greater Manchester’s mental health trust has been placed into the ‘equivalent of special measures’, the Manchester Evening News can reveal. The crisis measures enforced by the NHS come after allegations that patients were abused at a mental health unit run by the beleaguered trust.

Greater Manchester NHS mental health trust ordered to improve

Warning notices were served after the Care Quality Commission (CQC) inspected the Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust (GMMH). On Wednesday the trust was told it would face the highest level of intervention from NHS England.
The trust said improvement work was already under way.

Law firm to investigate if senior managers were to blame for alleged abuse of patients at Edenfield mental health unit

The purpose of this investigation is to ascertain whether any individual or individuals employed by the GMMH Trust in a leadership capacity have caused or contributed towards failings in patient care’

Rupert Nichols, the chairman of the Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust, which runs the unit has commissioned a law firm to carry out an “independent investigation”. It will scrutinise the role of the executive team, including the Chief Executive Officer, and the heads of specialist services including Edenfield management.

Chair of Greater Manchester Mental Health Trust to step down

The move comes after ‘inexcusable behaviour and examples of unacceptable care’ were ‘exposed’ at a mental health unit, he said
Rupert Nichols, chair of Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust, wrote a letter to the governors, board members and colleagues at the trust, shared this afternoon (November 18). Although Mr Nichols’ term of office ends next July, he announced he would be ‘retiring’ early from the position at the end of December 2022.

A dozen staff sacked after allegations patients were abused in GMMH mental health unit

Thirty staff are the subject of disciplinary action after claims in a BBC Panorama programme that patients were abused at an NHS mental health unit. A dozen have been sacked, the MEN undertands, and another 18 are to face hearings.

Chair of GMMH , Rupert Nichols, formally apologised on behalf of the entire Board to those directly and indirectly affected by recent events – “especially those service users, their families and carers treated so poorly at the Edenfield Centre.”

October 2022

GMMH further breaches human rights of patients imposing a blanket ban on personal mobile phones for in patients at Edenfield

It has come to CHARM’s attention that the management at Edenfield have removed mobile phones from all patients on wards at the Edenfield site, As of 13 October. We believe a blanket ban of this nature is a breach of Article 8 of the European Human Rights Convention. The right to a private and family life. 

Such practices also create environments that further alienate patients from the outside world. This is not a route to recovery. The failings at Edenfield happened because there was a lack of oversight and openness. When a ‘behind closed doors’ culture of secrecy is implemented, it makes abuse more likely to happen. Meanwhile, workers have been allowed to keep their phones. This is unfair.

‘Treated worse than animals’: Huntercombe investigation reveals decade of mistreatment in care of more than 20 teenagers

A Sky News investigation into five hospitals run by The Huntercombe Group has revealed repeated allegations of over-restraint and inadequate staffing, which youngsters say left people at increased risk of self-harm
More than 20 former patients or their relatives have revealed how they were “treated worse than animals” and failed by the “awful” care they received at mental health hospitals for teenagers.

Testimonies gathered in an investigation by Sky News raise repeated allegations of over-restraint and inadequate staffing which youngsters say left people at increased risk of self-harm.

Rowan Thompson: Inquest into the death of teen mental health inpatient concludes neglect

The inquest into the death of teenager Rowan Thompson concluded on the 31 October 2022), with the jury finding that Rowan died of Cardiac Arrythmia due to Severe Hypokalaemia of unknown cause, contributed to by neglect due to the failure to communicate the findings of blood tests.

The inquest was heard over six days at North Manchester Coroner’s Court in front of HM Senior Coroner Ms Joanne Kearsley, sitting with a jury.

Rowan died on 3 October 2020 whilst an inpatient at the Gardener Unit, a medium secure adolescent mental health unit in Prestwich run by Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust (GMMH). Rowan, who identified as non-binary, was 18 at the time of their death.

Prestwich unit bosses can’t check CCTV despite ‘five workers failing to observe patients’ the day teenager died, inquest hears

Bosses cannot check workers on a Prestwich mental health unit are carrying out observations using CCTV, despite five staff failing to do so correctly the day a teenager died, an inquest has heard. Rowan Thompson died aged 18 on October 3, 2020. 

The teenager, who identified as non-binary and used the pronoun ‘them’, was an inpatient on the Gardener Unit, run by Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust (GMMH), on the site commonly known as Prestwich Hospital. Rowan’s inquest previously heard they were supposed to be observed every 15 minutes, but staff did not check on them for 90 minutes before they were found having a seizure. 

At Rochdale Coroners’ Court this morning (Thursday, October 27), the inquest heard that five members of staff working on-site that day had either wrongly signed records of observation or failed to carry out the duty. Rachel Green, head of operations for children and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS) for GMMH at the time, told jurors she was working in an adjacent building to the Gardener Unit on the day of Rowan’s death. 

She told the court that no staffing issues had been brought to her attention before the tragedy unfolded, and that she had not visited the Gardener Unit herself that day until emergency services were in attendance. It was the following day that Ms Green discovered staff had not carried out the checks as they had claimed. 

Edenfield Centre: Health minister backs public inquiry over abuse

The mistreatment of patients at a mental health hospital does warrant a public inquiry, a health minister has said. Will Quince apologised to patients at the Edenfield Centre in Prestwich near Manchester and their families. 

A BBC Panorama investigation found a “toxic culture of humiliation, verbal abuse and bullying” at the hospital. Hospital bosses said they took immediate action including suspending staff and launching a clinical review. 

Raising the case in the House of Commons, Bury South MP Christian Wakeford said it had been 15 days since the Panorama show aired “deeply distressing” scenes at the hospital, which had “brought tears across the country”, yet “we have heard nothing from the department”.

Manchester Council calls for public inquiry into mental health unit at centre of BBC Panorama investigation

Manchester City Council will ask the government for a public inquiry into a mental health unit at the centre of a BBC Panorama investigation earlier this year.
Undercover footage of the Edenfield Centre in Prestwich included allegations of inappropriate and neglectful behaviour, a toxic staff culture and poor care.

Andrew Maloney, deputy chief executive of Greater Manchester Mental Health (GMMH) NHS Foundation Trust which runs the centre, told councillors at a health scrutiny meeting on Wednesday (October 12) about the action taken in response.

However, the health scrutiny committee was not satisfied with this, describing the situation as a “catastrophic disaster”.

Demands for public inquiry amid ‘catastrophic disaster’ at mental health unit

Manchester council will ask the government for a public inquiry into a mental health unit at the heart of a BBC Panorama investigation aired last month. The calls for an inquiry come with fears that alleged abuse of patients at the Edenfield Centre, as claimed by the BBC, is happening at other Greater Manchester’s mental health treatment units.

Staff, including support workers, and registered nurses, were secretly filmed by an undercover Panorama reporter embedded in the unit from March to June of this year. The footage appeared to show patients being bullied, humiliated, swore at, and taunted.

Edenfield Centre: Care watchdog praised bosses at abuse hospital

The healthcare watchdog praised bosses of a mental health hospital after visiting during the weeks when the BBC filmed patients being mistreated.

According to a report to governors at the trust which runs the Edenfield Centre, the Care Quality Commission noted its “strong, motivated leaders”.

After the BBC gave it information about the abuse, the watchdog suspended the hospital’s “good” rating.

The CQC said it would take further action if needed.

University of Salford removes student nurses from NHS mental health unit under investigation by police

A University has withdrawn its student nurses from a mental health unit which is under investigation by police. The Edenfield Centre in the grounds of the former Prestwich Hospital in Bury is the focus of a criminal investigation after allegations that patients were abused.

Now the University of Salford has taken action in the wake of the allegations. A University of Salford spokesperson said: “Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust (GMMH) provides placements for a number of universities and across professions. All of our students who were on placement or due to attend placement at the Edenfield Centre are now being moved to alternatives. The wellbeing of our students is our top priority, and we have been in touch with all affected students to offer support.”

The Edenfield Centre: Bereaved family ‘reeling with anger’ at abuse

Relatives of a woman who died at a mental health unit where a culture of abuse and mistreatment was uncovered say they have been left “reeling with anger”.

A BBC investigation found evidence of routine humiliation and bullying at the Edenfield Centre in Manchester. 

Hospital bosses said they took immediate action to protect patients. 

But the sisters of one patient, who died in 2017, said they had “little confidence” improvements would be made. 

September 2022

The Equality and Human Rights Commission response to allegations about mistreatment of people in Edenfield Centre Mental Health Unit

The Equality and Human Rights Commission has a duty to enforce equality laws and defend human rights. We therefore consider all allegations of unlawful activities carefully and take action where necessary.

Responding to allegations shown by BBC Panorama on 28 September about the treatment of people in Edenfield Centre Mental Health Unit, in Prestwich, the Chief Executive of the Equality and Human Rights Commission, Marcial Boo, said:

“The reports of potentially unlawful activity at the Edenfield Centre Mental Health Unit in Prestwich may indicate a breach of patients’ human rights. These include the right of patients to be free from inhuman and degrading treatment, their right to liberty and security and their right to private and family life, including physical and psychological integrity.

‘Lessons will be learned’? Responding to Panorama’s documentary on abuses at the Edenfield Centre

It should never require a television documentary to shock a society into acting on institutional abuses in any public service, let alone those treating people who are at their most vulnerable and traumatised. Yet sadly it too often does. This week’s Panorama programme exposing serious abuses at the medium secure Edenfield Centre in Greater Manchester joins a litany of similar programmes that have forced the public to confront the consequences of a failure to provide care that meets basic standards of human decency.

The programme was distressing viewing for anyone. For some, it will have opened their eyes to abuse that has been happening in institutions for as long as they have been a part of our mental health care system. For people living with a mental health difficulty and their families, it will have been unimaginably traumatic to witness this abusive treatment; while for some it will be all too painfully reminiscent of their own experiences.

We need to ask why this continues to happen in our NHS in 2022.

‘Toxic culture’ of abuse at GMMH mental health hospital revealed by BBC secret filming

Humiliated, abused and isolated for weeks – patients were put at risk due to a “toxic culture” at one of the UK’s biggest mental health hospitals, BBC Panorama can reveal.

An undercover reporter at the Edenfield Centre filmed staff using restraint inappropriately and patients enduring long seclusions in small, bare rooms.

Staff swore at patients and were seen slapping or pinching them on occasion.

Hospital bosses said they have taken immediate action to protect patients.

Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust, which runs the medium secure unit, said it was taking the allegations “very seriously”.

A number of staff members have been suspended, and the trust said it was working with Greater Manchester Police, the independent healthcare regulator the Care Quality Commission, and NHS England “to ensure the safety of these services”.

Greater Manchester Police said it has opened a criminal investigation. 

Shocked and concerned’ – Mind calls for a public inquiry after BBC Panorama exposes alleged verbal and physical abuse of patients at Edenfield Centre

Undercover footage broadcast during a BBC Panorama programme which aired yesterday evening highlighted alleged verbal and physical abuse of vulnerable patients with mental health problems and autism at the Edenfield Centre, run by Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust. The programme raised serious concerns about the use of harmful and dangerous practices including unnecessary restraint and seclusion, near-mistakes with medication, falsification of observation records and physical and verbal abuse.
As a result, mental health charity Mind is calling for a full statutory public inquiry into systemic failings of inpatient mental health services across England.

Responding to the documentary, Vicki Nash, Associate Director of Policy, Campaigns and Public Affairs at Mind, said:

“The footage of patients at the Edenfield Centre obtained undercover by BBC Panorama is shocking and extremely concerning. People who have been admitted to medium secure units are likely to be experiencing moderate to severe mental health problems including suicidal thoughts, self-harming and psychosis. When we are at our most unwell and vulnerable, we need caring and compassionate treatment in a safe and therapeutic environment to recover and we and our loved ones should be able to expect – as a bare minimum – basic humanity and respect. The fact that footage obtained as part of this documentary has prompted a criminal police investigation indicates just how short of expectations this mental health service may have fallen.

“We are especially concerned about the apparently excessive and punitive use of restraint and seclusion for people with mental health problems and autism. We know these dangerous measures are traumatising, likely to make people’s mental health even worse, and can even be fatal – either directly or indirectly.

The Edenfield Centre: MP criticises mental health unit bosses over abuse

An MP has condemned the “horrific” treatment of patients at one of the UK’s largest mental health hospitals.

A BBC Panorama investigation found a “toxic culture of humiliation, verbal abuse and bullying” at the Edenfield Centre in Prestwich near Manchester. 

Bury South MP Christian Wakeford said it showed a “failure of leadership” at Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust (GMMH).

Nurses investigated amid abuse at Manchester mental health hospital

Nurses working at the mental health unit in Manchester are to be investigated by the regulator, after footage of vulnerable patients being subjected to humiliation, verbal abuse and bullying at the hospital was aired on the BBC programme Panorama.

Nurses and other staff at Edenfield Centre, which is a large medium security mental health unit in Prestwich, Greater Manchester, were filmed mistreating patients by an undercover BBC reporter working as a support worker at the centre, as part of a Panorama investigation.

“We’ve opened fitness to practise cases for some professionals on our register”

Andrea Sutcliffe

Staff, including mental health nurses, were filmed mocking patients when they were in vulnerable situations, and joking about their self-harm.

In addition, they were seen using unnecessary restraint and slapping or pinching patients. They were also seen keeping patients with autism or learning disabilities in seclusion for long periods of time.

What is behind a new mental health abuse scandal?

Edenfield treats around 200 patients, most of which have been sectioned by a court and are classed as a potential danger to themselves and others. The BBC’s footage from there is said to be as harrowing and shocking as that taken at Winterbourne. 

It will almost certainly lead to outrage that health professionals could treat some of the most vulnerable people in society in such a terrible way. But mental health workers elsewhere in Britain have told Socialist Worker that what happened at Winterbourne, and now seemingly Edenfield is not simply the result of cruel and sadistic people in the workforce.

“People going to work in secure settings need to be extremely qualified and experienced,” one mental health practitioner told Socialist Worker on condition of anonymity. 

“Patient behaviour can at times be very challenging, and even violent. But too often I hear that secure wards and units are staffed by people with little experience, and sometimes not a single registered nurse on shift.

“That is a recipe for disaster. If you don’t have enough experienced and skilled staff on, there is nobody to ensure a proper culture of care or to help with patients that are particularly distressed. Even very good staff without qualifications and practice simply don’t have the weight to do this.”

CQC suspends GMMH rating for Forensic inpatient or secure wards as a result of concerns about this service.

Greater Manchester Mental Health Trust suspends staff after alleged mistreatment of patients in mental health unit

Footage obtained by Panorama of the alleged mistreatment is harrowing. The programme is scheduled to be broadcast on Wednesday next week.

An NHS trust has suspended staff after allegations that patients were mistreated at a mental health unit. Last week it was revealed police are preparing to investigate the claims which relate to the Edenfield Centre based in the grounds of the former Prestwich Hospital in Bury.

The unit cares for adult patients. The Manchester Evening News understands that action was taken after the BBC Panorama programme embedded a reporter undercover in the unit and then presented the NHS Trust which runs it with their evidence.

The Edenfield Centre has 11 wards and it is understood staff working on both male and female wards have been suspended. Meanwhile GMP are continuing to assess evidence in relation to the allegations.

Manchester City braced for ‘Winterbourne View’-level scandal

Well-placed sources have now told Health Service Journal the allegations include “serious abuse” of adult patients, which they said were at a “similar sort of level as Winterbourne View”. The sources said the trust has already suspended a number of staff, although the trust refused to confirm this had happened.

The documentary has yet to be aired, but police are also aware of the allegations and are preparing to open an investigation.

Police prepare for investigation into The Edenfield Regional Secure Unit following alleged mistreatment of patients by BBC Panorama programme

The Edenfield Centre is a secure unit helping mental health patients adjust back into the community. It works mainly with people who have been in prison or admitted to hospital following a criminal offence.

The Edenfield Centre based in the grounds of the former Prestwich Hospital in Bury is at the centre of the claims.

The unit cares for adult patients. The Manchester Evening News understands that action was taken after the BBC Panorama programme embedded a reporter undercover in the unit and then presented the NHS Trust which runs it with their evidence.

A spokesperson for GMP said: “We are aware of the allegations and are liaising with partner agencies to safeguard vulnerable individuals and obtain all information required to open an investigation.”

A spokesperson for Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust said: “We can confirm that BBC Panorama has contacted the Trust, following research it conducted into the Edenfield Centre. We would like to reassure patients, carers, staff, and the public that we are taking the matters raised by the BBC very seriously.

Mental health hospital in Bury where patients were ‘bullied and abused by staff’ put into special measures

A report found staff ‘could be patronising, antagonistic, rude and made negative comments about patients’

A hospital where patients say they were ‘bullied and abused by staff’ has been placed into special measures. Cygnet Bury Hudson has been ordered to improve safety after its overall performance was judged to be ‘inadequate’, following an inspection by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) in June.

The hospital, off Bolton Road in Bury, provides low and medium secure inpatient mental health services for men and women across six wards and 78 beds. The service was last inspected in July 2020 when it was registered as Cygnet Bury.

Since April 2021, the location has been split into three and this is the first inspection at this location. During the recent visit, inspectors say patients told them they were being ‘bullied and abused by their peers and staff members’ and that they did not feel safe on wards.

A damning report published today reveals there were also issues with safeguarding, complaint handling, medicines management and staff attitudes to patients and carers.

Staff at women’s mental health facility ‘fell asleep’ when they were meant to be observing high-risk patients

Eleanor Independent Hospital in West Didsbury has been placed into special measures

A women’s mental health facility in south Manchester has been put into special measures after members of staff were found to have fallen asleep when they were supposed to be monitoring high-risk patients.

Eleanor Independent Hospital in West Didsbury was rated ‘inadequate’ following an inspection by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) in May – which also found some staff didn’t know the names of patients they were caring for.

The hospital, run by Eleanor EHC Limited, provides care for up to 34 women who have been diagnosed with a personality disorder or mental illness. The service was previously rated as ‘requires improvement’ following an inspection in 2021.

Inspectors highlighted significant concerns about the medicines management at the hospital and found errors around the prescribing, recording, and dispensing of medicines which placed people at a serious risk of harm.

“Patients and their carers reported that staff weren’t very caring and didn’t seem to be fully aware of how to support the people in their care. Staff were often on their phones instead of supporting and engaging with people,” they said.

Anger after GMMH Trust says it has no plans to publish ‘independent’ review into to deaths of three young people

“We want to know what it says and the wider public has a right to know.”

Families have blasted a NHS Trust after it said it did not intend to publish an independent review into their loved ones deaths. Three young people died in nine months at the same mental health unit.

A Coroner was told last week that the review will be “ready” this month. Rowan Thompson, 18, died while a patient at the unit, based in the former Prestwich Hospital, Bury, in October 2020, followed by Charlie Millers, 17, in December that year, and Ania Sohail, 21, in June last year.

Earlier this year, Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust (GMMH), which runs the hospital, commissioned an ‘external report’ into the deaths. On Tuesday last week a pre-inquest hearing into the death of Rowan – who used the pronoun ‘they’ – heard that the full report would be available for the coroner to read ‘on or around September 30’
Trust ordered to produce report after deaths of three patients at Prestwich Hospital

Asked by the Manchester Evening News if the review would be published a spokesperson for the Trust said the Trust “always act on the wishes of the family regarding publication of reports,” adding “and so in line with this we have no immediate plans to make the report public.”

August 2022

July 2022

Prestwich Hospital mental health service’s safety rated ‘inadequate’

An NHS Trust based in Prestwich does not have enough staff to keep patients safe according to an independent review by the health and social care watchdog.
The Care Quality Commission (CQC) conducted a focused inspection of Greater Manchester NHS Mental Health Foundation Trust’s adult mental health services in April.

The inspection was carried out at the trust, based at Prestwich Hospital, after the CQC received concerning information about the safety and quality of the services provided.

The inspection reviewed the safety of the trusts’s community-based mental health services of adults of working age in April and concluded the service’s provision in this area was “inadequate”.

The inspection concluded safety standards at the service had deteriorated after a previous inspection of community-based mental health services for adults in 2019, which gave safety in this area a rating of “requires improvement”.

Safety is one five areas in which services can be assessed, and the trust currently holds an overall rating of “good” in every area except its safety.

The CQC’s report, published in June, says “the service did not have enough care coordinators and support staff to keep patients safe.”

June 2022

The mental health and dementia hospital where staff ‘didn’t know patients’ names’ and ‘told them to sit down whenever they tried to get up’

A mental health care hospital has been shut down by watchdogs after investigators uncovered shocking practices. The care unit was slammed for staff ‘not respecting the privacy and dignity’ of patients, as ‘staff often talked over patients, ignored patients, and talked about their personal hygiene needs in the main lounge’, while ‘patients were told to sit down whenever they tried to get up

Monet Lodge in Withington, Manchester, run by Making Space, provided care for up to 20 older people with complex mental health problems, specialising in dementia care. After the damming inspection in early March of this year, the location was barred from admitting any further patients and instructed to discharge current patients, or find them new placements, by the end of that month. 

Concerns were first raised by the Care Quality Commission (CQC), a social care watchdog back in February 2021, when Monet Lodge was placed into special measures. It found that the building was ‘not safe, unclean, not well equipped, not well furnished, not well maintained and unfit for purpose’, and that ‘staff had not received basic training to keep patients safe from avoidable harm’.

May 2022

Inquest for 19 year old who died in the Rivington Unit at at Royal Bolton Hospital in 2021

The inquest will ask if there were ‘missed opportunities’ in care of teen who died in mental health unit. Outlining the ‘scope’ of the inquest, Timothy Brennand, senior coroner for Manchester West, said it would consider three main areas: the care and treatment Grace received from Greater Manchester Mental Health Trust from January 2020 to her to death; the care and treatment she received while a patient at the Rivington Unit and the impact her autism and ADHD had on the treatment and risk assessments she received.

An inquest into the death of a teenager in a mental health unit will examine if there were any ‘missed opportunities’ in her care and treatment. Grace Victoria Heald, 19, of Blackley, died in the Rivington Unit at at Royal Bolton Hospital on August 22 last year.

Greater Manchester Mental Health Trust criticised after seven-year-old Emily Jones killed by patient

After Emily’s death, Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust (GMMH) – who had been treating Skana – conducted an internal review and said it was “difficult to see how this incident could have been prevented”. But NHS England has now disagreed with GMMH’s assessment, saying there was not ‘sufficient analysis’ to justify their conclusion.  Its own investigation found Skana, who has paranoid schizophrenia, was “potentially dangerous when unwell” and that “it was clear by 2017 that [she] presented risks to others when she was ill, but not when she was well.

Greater Manchester Mental Health Trust has been criticised by NHS England after Trust said it was difficult to see how it could have prevented the murder of a seven-year-old girl by one of its patients.

The report said: “Our most important finding is that the trust’s understanding of risk concepts was poor.”

April 2022

Autistic girl, 14, unlawfully detained in hospital, high court judge finds

The high court in London. Mr Justice MacDonald described the hospital environment into which the girl was placed as ‘brutal and abusive’. In his judgment, MacDonald refused to grant a request from Manchester City Council for the local authority to remain anonymous. He criticised the council for failing to find her a suitable placement throughout the month she was unlawfully detained in hospital, accusing the council and unnamed NHS trust of having “comprehensively failed in this case”.

A 14-year-old autistic girl was unlawfully detained in hospital and restrained in front of scared young patients, a high court judge has found.

Mental health team didn’t believe mum-of-one posed a ‘significant risk’ to herself days before train station death

Day two of the inquest in Stockport heard how doctors at the Bronte ward at Wythenshawe Hospital, where Kate was being treated after being sectioned under the Mental Health Act, felt her condition had improved enough for her to be discharged to the home based treatment team. This is despite earlier ‘manic behaviour’ on this ward and Kate going missing when granted unaccompanied leave.

Mental health practitioners did not believe a mum-of-one posed a ‘significant risk’ to herself in the days and weeks leading to her death, an inquest has heard. Kate Hedges, 35, passed away at Gatley train station in November 2020 having been released from hospital in October and referred to the home based treatment team.

Schoolgirl, 13, ‘did not intend to end her own life’, coroner rules

Faith Hindle, from Salford, killed herself a day after telling an “overburned” mental health nurse that she feared she was unable to keep herself safe. She was pronounced dead at Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital after being found hanged at her family’s home in Cadishead on the evening of December 8, 2018.

At an inquest at Bolton Coroner’s Court today, a coroner ruled that Faith, a pupil at Irlam and Cadishead Sports College, died as a result of “misadventure”. The hearing was told that in the months prior to her death, Faith’s family, school and GP practice had tried to help her access mental health support after she began self-harming.

In August 2018, two referrals were made to Salford Children and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS) after Faith attempted suicide, the inquest heard. Tayaba Nicholson, a mental health practitioner at Salford CAMHS, picked up the referral and promised to see Faith on a “three to four week basis”.

‘Special’ son, 22, died after ‘never getting over’ his counsellor using gravestone reference in therapy

A counsellor apologised to a client after using imagery of ‘a gravestone’ in a therapy session, a court heard today. Benjamin Davis then took his own life only a few months later, having ‘never got over that experience’, his father said.

During an inquest in Bolton today (April 13), private counsellor Avremi Rosenberg admitted that he should have used different wording in his session with Benjamin, who was 21 at the time. He also accepted that the language was ‘inappropriate’.

he youngster was also diagnosed with autism in 2021, assistant coroner Rachel Syed heard. After this diagnosis, Benjamin had five counselling sessions with Mr Rosenberg in spring last year.

And it was during these sessions in which Mr Rosenberg referenced a gravestone, Mr Davis said. He added: “I asked Mr Rosenberg about it and he confirmed he did [say it].

“My son is autistic and he cannot process things in the way other people do. If you mention a gravestone to me, it is okay, but if you mention it to autistic people they will focus on the picture of the gravestone.

“You have to be careful with language… they take things very literally. He told me that he started to think about death again after that. He never got over that experience. He was in a good place with autistic acceptance.”

When asked why used the imagery, Mr Rosenberg said he said ‘in the context that his autism diagnosis was… part of him but not all of him’. He added: “Benjamin approached me because he knew I was a counsellor with experience with working with people on the autism spectrum. In hindsight, this would have been better dealt with by the NHS. I did apologise to Benjamin for the way it came over.

March 2022

Mother’s agony after suicidal daughter escapes from GMMH hospital despite being sectioned

A worried mother says her suicidal daughter escaped from a mental health hospital on numerous occasions. The woman says her 21-year-old daughter, whose names are being withheld to protect their identity, was sectioned under the Mental Health Act and admitted to Griffin Ward at Prestwich Hospital ten months ago.

The mother, who lives in Collyhurst, says her daughter’s mental health suffered terribly after her (the mother’s) father died four years ago, and then further declined when she was attacked by two girls in Piccadilly Gardens in Manchester last June.

She says her daughter was sectioned immediately after a member of public alerted police after seeing her stood on a bridge.

After attempting to take her own life, she spent a few days at Salford Royal and Park House before being transferred to the Griffin Ward at Prestwich Hospital. But she says her daughter has been able to escape from the hospital on several occasions and has further attempted to take her life each time.

Mental health service failings possibly contributed to dad killing his baby son, coroner says

A coroner has delivered a damning condemnation of the mental health treatment of a psychotic man in the months before he threw his 11-month-old son into a river and to his death.

The failures leading up to the horrific events which claimed the life of Zakari William Bennett-Eko on September 11, 2019, represented an ‘arguable breach’ of Article 2 of the Human Rights Act , which says government organisations have a fundamental legal duty to protect life, the Rochdale inquest was told.

Kelly Darlington, solicitor for Emma, said “This is an extremely distressing case that no mother should ever have to experience.

“The inquest into the death of Baby Zakari highlighted a number of multi-agency failings in the care of his father who was experiencing a serious relapse of his psychosis at the time of the horrific events that led to his death.

“These missed opportunities may have avoided the serious deterioration in the father’s mental health that led to the unlawful killing of Baby Zakari.”

Eight organisations and baby Zak’s mum were legally represented at the inquest. The organisations were: Greater Manchester Mental Health Trust, Manchester City Council, Bury Borough Council, Manchester Clinical Commissioning Group, Manchester Foundation NHS Trust, Pennine Care NHS Foundation Trust, Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust, Rock Health Centre and Greater Manchester Police.

Ms Kearsley has given legal representatives of all eight organisations 28 days to prepare submissions in advance of a ‘Regulation 28 Prevention of Future Deaths’ report.

The report will be sent to authorities which have the power to make the changes that are suggested. Organisations have to respond to these within 56 days showing how they have made changes according to the coroner’s recommendations, or how they intend to. All Prevention of Future Death reports and responses are sent to the Chief Coroner.

Man discharged from MRI mental health unit died hours later after trying to take own life outside

Daniel Kirton may have had his ‘right to life’ breached, a pre-inquest review heard today.

A man who died after trying to take his own life inside hospital grounds just hours after being discharged from its mental health unit could have had his ‘right to life’ breached, an inquest heard.

Daniel Kirton, 35, visited the mental health team at Manchester Royal Infirmary on December 3, 2020, before he was discharged.

Tragically, though, after he left he tried to take his own life on hospital grounds, before ‘rolling’ onto nearby Upper Brook Street. He was hit by a taxi at around 11.35pm and pronounced dead in the hospital on December 4.

Family will have to wait for answers over son’s death at GMMH mental health unit

Charlie Millers was one of three young people to die at Prestwich Hospital over a nine-month period. Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust (GMMH), who run the site, have been ordered to commission an “external report” about all three deaths by NHS England. A pre-inquest review held at Rochdale Coroner’s Court today, March 8, heard that the inquest into Charlie’s death could be delayed by “several months” due to this report.

An inquest into the death of a teenager being treated at a mental health unit in Prestwich will be delayed “several months” after the NHS trust in charge was ordered to produce a report into the incident.

Anti-psychotic drugs contributed to death of man with mental health history, inquest hears

A man died after a build up of side effects from a drug he was taking to treat his paranoid schizophrenia led to his organs failing, an inquest heard.

John Warren had battled mental health problems since his early 20s. He was diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia in 1988, a jury at Manchester coroners court heard.

He was moved to the Priory psychiatric hospital at Cheadle Royal hospital in 2000, where he had been ever since.

Tragically, though, side-effects from a drug – clozapine – caused internal problems and, after he was not able to have surgery at Wythenshawe Hospital, he died a few days later.

February 2022

New £3m model of mental health support agreed in Salford

A new citywide mental health service has been approved, anticipated to support an additional 5,000 people per year in Salford.

‘Living Well Salford’, jointly funded by NHS Salford Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG), Greater Manchester Mental Health Foundation Trust (GMMH) and Salford Primary Care Networks, is the name given to the new local system designed to meet the needs of adults with mental health problems that require more support than primary care can offer, but don’t meet the criteria for secondary care mental health services.

January 2022

Sam Millers and Marc Thompson want answers after both their teenagers were admitted to Prestwich Hospital and didn’t come back out alive

The parents of two children who died in hospital due to “observation failings” are demanding an independent investigation.

Sam Millers and Marc Thompson are parents from two different parts of the county who both lost their children after they received treatment at Prestwich Hospital.

Sam, from Old Trafford, lost her trans son Charlie, 17, in December 2020 after “observation failings” led to his suicide.

Meanwhile the death of Marc’s son, Rowan, 18, who identified as non-binary, two months later still remains a mystery.

Their children make up two of three young people who have died while being admitted at Prestwich Hospital over the course of nine months, and are now demanding answers.

December 2021

Union fears ‘dangerous’ low staffing levels at Greater Manchester Mental Health Trust are harming patients

As reported in the Manchester Evening News last week a watchdog is “very concerned” about the safety of people using the services of Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Trust.

A damning report said inspectors found there were not always enough nurses and that permanent staff did not feel safe if bank or agency workers were used as they didn’t have the relevant training.

It follows an unannounced inspection in September by the Care Quality Commission “due to on-going concerns about the safety of services”.

Now UNISON says it is concerned about “dangerous” staffing levels across the Trust’s sites in Prestwich, Trafford, Manchester, Wigan, and Bolton.
A Unison spokesperson said: “Our members have reported across the Trust that staffing levels are at dangerous levels and that this is impacting both upon patient care and staff well-being.

“Some of our members within the Early Intervention Service have recently voted for strike action over Trust re-organisation plans which would leave their service even more stretched.”

Unison North West regional organiser, Lyndsey Marchant, added: “Staffing levels are causing problems throughout the Trust. Recent reports about Prestwich Hospital were incredibly worrying, but UNISON is also concerned about issues within our community mental health services.

“Community mental health services do vital preventative work, which can often avoid young people from people admitted to facilities like Prestwich Hospital.

November 2021

Cheadle Royal Psychiatric hospital ordered to improve after failing to provide ‘caring environment’ for patients

Cheadle Royal psychiatric hospital has been ordered to improve after a watchdog found it was failing to provide ‘a caring environment’ that respected patients’ dignity and helped them recover.

Cheadle Royal Hospital, in Heald Green, has in-patient wards for adults and children as well as specialist eating disorder services.

It was previously rated ‘good’ overall by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) at its last full inspection in 2017.

The service has now been downgraded to ‘requires improvement’ after officials identified a ‘number of concerns’ at a visit earlier this year.

This is despite the watchdog noting that ‘staff treated patients with compassion and kindness’ and ‘developed holistic, recovery-oriented care plans’.

The Priory Group, which runs the hospital, says it is ‘working hard to make the improvements identified’ by the CQC.

During the visit, safety was found to be ‘inadequate’ in the acute adult wards and psychiatric intensive care units, as well as on the child and adolescent mental health wards.

A newly published report notes that ‘not all wards were safe, clean, well equipped, well furnished, well maintained and fit for purpose’.

Man charged with attempted murder after patient stabbed at mental health unit

A man has been charged with attempted murder after a patient was stabbed in the mental health unit of a hospital.

Police rushed to reports of a stabbing on October 27 at Park House, which contains adult inpatient mental health wards on the North Manchester General Hospital site.

A man in his 30s suffered serious injuries and had to be treated at the scene before paramedics could rush him to hospital for further aid.

An ambulance, air ambulance and a paramedic in a response vehicle all attended the scene.

A man, also in his 30s, has now been charged with attempted murder, officers have confirmed.

The incident is under both a criminal investigation, according to the force and the trust which runs the unit.

A spokesperson for Greater Manchester Police has said: “Police were called shortly after midday (Wednesday 27 October) to a report of a stabbing at Park House, Manchester.

“A man in his 30s suffered serious injuries but is now in a stable condition.

“A second man in his 30s has been charged with attempted murder.

“This was believed to be a contained incident and GMP are working with staff at North Manchester General Hospital to investigate the circumstances.”

October 2021

September 2021

‘Inadequate’ care home that failed to protect residents from potential harm or abuse placed in special measures

A care home that was failing to protect its residents from potential harm or abuse has been placed in special measures.

Smithy Bridge Court, in Littleborough, provides care for up to 51 people with complex care and mental health needs, including dementia.

But it has been rated as ‘inadequate’ by health watchdog the Care Quality Commission (CQC) following an inspection of the new-build facility in Barke Street.

READ MORE: Firm that provides at-home care for people with a range of health conditions failed to ensure staff were competent, watchdog says

This is the lowest grading a care home can receive and if ‘significant improvements’ are not made within six months it could potentially be closed down.

The inspection was prompted in part due to concerns raised over staffing levels, management of medicines and safeguarding.

Source: Manchester Evening News, 23rd September 2021

Legendary dance venue hosting huge mental health awareness event for pupils

The events programme has been designed by young people and was delivered in partnership with Manchester-based mental health charity 42nd Street.

Depot Mayfield played host (Thursday September 23) to 215 Greater Manchester schools and a series of live performances, workshops and lessons to explore the wellbeing and mental health challenges faced by young people – as well as the support available to them.

Source: Manchester Evening News, 23rd September 2021

Heartbroken mum learned of son’s death on Facebook

Mental health staff believed Kieron, who grew up in Withington, was regularly using drugs.

However, the court heard how Kieron denied any claims and was often “aggressive or agitated” when on the ward.

He was discharged in 2019 and offered a place with the housing association one year before his death.

Speaking at the inquest, Ms Hamlin, who had not seen her son in two years, said she didn’t find out about his passing until she read it in a Facebook post in September 2020.

During a toxicology report, pathologist Dr Justin Nkonge said Kieron’s lungs were found to be four times heavier than they should have been.

Blood tests showed there to be cocaine and heroin in his system when he died.

Kathyrn Dykes, clinical Psychologist for the Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust, said a number of areas of expectation within the trust were not met during Kieron’s treatment.

She said this was because of the pandemic and face-to-face meetings not being possible.

Speaking at the inquest, she said: “Kieron would leave Hollybank very early in the morning and return at night, making it hard for mental health nurses to contact him.

“Notes had not been updated on the system due to workloads at the time.”

Ms Dykes said although Kieron had been placed in the “red zone”, meaning patients are in crisis, he should have been getting three visits a week.

Source: Manchester Evening News, 22nd September 2021

Call for ‘urgent review’ at Prestwich Hospital following death of teenager accused of murdering mother, coroner told

A campaign group has called for an ‘urgent review’ of Greater Manchester’s mental health trust following the death of a teenager at Prestwich Hospital, a coroner has heard.

Rowan Thompson, who used the pronoun ‘they’, was found dead at the Gardener Unit at the mental health hospital on October 3 last year.

Rebecca Titus-Cobb, a lawyer representing Rowan’s family, told the inquest the family had a number of concerns regarding Rowan’s treatment while on the unit.

She said there were ‘systemic issues regarding observation of patients on the unit’, and that the campaign group Inquest had contacted the Care Quality Commission to express concerns following a number of deaths, including Rowan’s.

She added: “The family understand that Rowan’s death was one of four recent deaths across Greater Manchester Mental Health Trust units, Junction 17 and the Gardener Unit where Rowan passed away.

“Clearly there are concerns about the general operation of the units. Inquest have requested that the Care Quality Commission undertake an urgent review and or inspection of the trust.

“In particular, the letter raised concerns that similar criticisms of Junction 17 were made at the previous inspection in February 2016 regarding incomplete observation records and missing entries.

“There are concerns that the issues in Rowan’s case may be part of wider, broader concerns that have arisen not only in Rowan’s case, but other cases.”

At the time of their death, Rowan was supposed to be under 15-minute observations, the court heard.

Ms Kearsley said the inquest would look into the observations practices on the day Rowan died.

Ms Kearsley ruled that scope of the inquest would include the care and treatment Rowan received at the hospital, as well as the observations by staff at the hospital on the day of their death.

An inquest had been scheduled for December, but is now likely to take place next year before a jury.

Source: Manchester Evening News, 23rd September 2021

Mental health patients leaving hospital in first lockdown felt lonely and isolated

Mental health patients who were discharged from or admitted to acute mental health services during the first Covid-19 lockdown experienced loneliness and social isolation, according to a new study.

Published in the journal British Journal of Psychiatry, the 34 patients, carers and clinical staff were interviewed by a team of researchers from The University of Manchester.

The study was funded by the National Institute for Health Research Greater Manchester Patient Safety Translational Research Centre (NIHR GMPSTRC).

NIHR GMPSTRC is a partnership between The University of Manchester and Salford Royal NHS Foundation Trust.

Mental health service users also reported ‘working harder’ to avoid admission due to fears around environmental safety as a result of COVID-19.

“Even before the pandemic, there are lots of safety concerns associated with recent discharge from inpatient mental health services, for example suicide and self-harm,“ said lead author Dr Natasha Tyler, researcher at the GM PSTRC and The University of Manchester.

Dr Tyler added: ‘Our patients and carers felt that because of the national need to free-up hospital beds, the quality of discharge and admission planning was compromised at times.

“That meant discharging patients from hospitals who were not ready to cope in the community or not admitting patients who needed in-patient care.“

Source: University of Manchester, 16th September 2021

Local businesses raise £60K for new community mental health initiative

A football-themed fundraising initiative, organised by Foundation 92 and Redstone Accountancy, has exceeded all expectations by raising £60,000 in donations from the Greater Manchester business community, to fund a new community mental health initiative.

A football-themed fundraising initiative, organised by Foundation 92 and Redstone Accountancy, has exceeded all expectations by raising £60,000 in donations from the Greater Manchester business community, to fund a new community mental health initiative.

Source: About Manchester, 16th September 2021

‘No mental health bed’: why children end up on acute medicine wards

Over the last five years there has been a gradual increase in the number of children admitted on to our acute paediatric unit who don’t need the kind of medical treatment we offer.

Consistently this summer, 20% of our beds have been occupied by children who need either a specialist mental health bed or a specialist residential placement in the community.

Not long ago we had a looked-after child of primary school age with serious behavioural issues who ended up stuck on our ward for several weeks because the local council couldn’t find them an appropriate placement in Greater Manchester. It was heartbreaking because they ended up 100 miles away, far from anyone they knew.

Many of these patients are not getting the care they need because neither I, my colleagues or the nursing staff are trained to provide the level of psychiatric care they require. We are trained to deal with medical problems. The mental healthcare teams don’t have the capacity to provide the level of daily input that these children need.

Source: The Guardian, 13th September 2021

Patient endured an 18-hour hour delay following a mental health call-out

Paramedics for North West Ambulance Service (NWAS) have told the Manchester Evening News that one patient endured an 18-hour hour delay following a mental health “Category 3” call-out.

90 pc of ‘Category 3’ calls should be responded two within two hours.

It comes amid reports of queues of ’14 ambulances’ outside Stepping Hill Hospital in Stockport.

Source: Manchester Evening News, 10th September 2021

“Unless similar units cease to receive public money, such lethal outcomes will persist” says independent report into deaths of adults with learning disabilities at hospital

“Unless similar units cease to receive public money, such lethal outcomes will persist” says independent report into deaths of adults with learning disabilities at hospital

An independent report into the deaths of King, Nicholas Briant, 33, and 36-year-old Joanna Bailey, who all died at Cawston Park, said their relatives described “indifferent and harmful hospital practices”.

The report, published on Thursday, makes reference to “excessive use of restraint and seclusion by unqualified staff” and a “high tolerance of inactivity”.

“Unless this hospital and similar units cease to receive public money, such lethal outcomes will persist,” the report said.

How many people from Greater Manchester are living in Units like this?

Source: The Guardian, 9th September 2021

August 2021

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July 2021

Three young people have died at Prestwich mental health hospital in the last nine months

Three young people have died in a nine month period at Prestwich Hospital. Rowan Thompson, 18, died at the mental health hospital in Bury, in October, followed by Charlie Millers, 17, in December, and Ania Sohail, 21, in June.

The series of deaths has led campaigners to call on the Care Quality Commission to ‘urgently inspect the service’. In response, the Care Quality Commission told the Manchester Evening News they were reviewing ‘the information available to us and considering what actions’ to take. Paul Elliot, Deputy Chief Inspector for hospitals and lead for mental health said there were ‘areas for improvement’, adding: “We have made it clear that the trust needs to focus further on safety.

“In acute wards for working age adults and psychiatric intensive care units, staff were not following the trust’s policy in relation to rapid tranquilisation and in child and adolescent mental health wards, checks to ensure that equipment was safe to use had not always been carried out.”

Jodie Anderson, caseworker at the charity INQUEST, which is supporting the families of Charlie and Rowan, said they were ‘deeply concerned’.

“We await the inquests into these premature deaths, which must ensure the utmost scrutiny. However, we cannot wait for action on this hospital. In light of these three very recent deaths of young people in concerning circumstances, we call on the regulators the Care Quality Commission, to urgently inspect this service and ensure other young people in mental health crisis are kept safe.”

Click on title for full article.

Source: Manchester Evening News, 26th July 2021

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Pennine Mental Health Trust failed young musician due to gap in provision

Self-taught drummer James Theophine was reported to the police in April 2019 and his mum Melanie Theophine said that the allegations ‘rocked his world’. James became dependent on alcohol and died from multi-organ failure in October 2020, aged 20. 

The court heard that after his 19th birthday, James had struggled to access mental health services after getting too old for the children’s mental health team. He was considered ‘too complex’ for the adults’ community mental health team and was referred to an organisation called Lanc UK, which was commissioned to run some mental health services.

Lanc UK director Dr Neil Rutherford told court that his organisation had already considered that James was too complex for the organisation to help him one month earlier – an issue his mum had previously highlighted.

Ms Fletcher from Pennine Trust said she had not been made aware of that, and would have found an alternative solution for James had it known.

Asked whether she believed there had been a gap in provision for James, Ms Fletcher said: “Yes.”

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Source: Manchester Evening News, 24th July 2021

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High volumes of staff absences at GMMHT due to Covid-19 and poor communication between teams delayed help for Trauma Survivor who subsequently died

Attempts to reach Catherine and start work to help her reduce her drug intake were delayed as liaison staff believed she had been discharged, while home treatment staff believed she was still in hospital.

In addition, high volumes of staff absences due to Covid-19 gave way to long waiting lists for appointments also delayed Catherine being able to get help, said Michael Hartley, who led the report by GMMH’s governance body.

Click on title for full story.

Source: Manchester Evening News, 16th July 2021

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GMMHT receives 30,000 calls to 24/7 Helpline since March 2020

At the start of the pandemic Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust (GMMH) set up a 24/7, all-ages helpline within a week, staffed by experienced mental health practitioners from a range of services, many of whom were shielding themselves but supported to work from home.

In their first ten days, over 1,500 calls were received, and during the height of the pandemic the call handlers received almost 550 calls per day.

Since 20 March 2020, they have handled almost 30,000 calls and since its expansion in May, have supported the Greater Manchester Clinical Assessment Service (CAS) and NHS 111 service by streaming their calls and supporting the caller to a solution which helps relieve pressure on other services, including ambulance call outs and attendances at A&E.

Click on title for full story

Source: Rochdale News, 15th July 2021

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Pennine Care sign staff health and wellbeing pledge

Pennine Care NHS Foundation Trust has become the latest NHS provider to sign a pledge supporting the principles of the Nursing Times Covid-19: Are You OK? campaign.

The trust signed up to support the campaign, after its Clare Parker, its executive director of nursing, responded to a call made by Nursing Times to NHS providers across the UK.

Pennine Care, which employs around 4,000 staff, provides mental health and learning disability services to people across Greater Manchester.

It runs a range of mental health and learning disability services for children and adults from sites in Bury, Oldham and Rochdale, Tameside and Glossop, and Stockport.

The trust highlighted that it had already taken a range of steps to protect staff mental health and wellbeing.

These include a dedicated staff wellbeing service offering support, counselling or therapy. Staff can self-refer or a referral can be made by a line manager.

Click on title for full article

Source: Nursing Times, July 2021

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Young man, 22, began struggle with insomnia on holiday and was dead within months, inquest hears

David Marsden’s family slammed mental health care workers for his ‘dehumanising’ treatment on a ward at a hospital he once worked. Desperate mum Fiona tried to help her son as he was seen numerous times by his GP, A&E at Stepping Hill Hospital, as an outpatient with a psychiatrist and by the community mental health team.

Fiona slammed Norbury Ward, run by Pennine Care NHS Foundation Trust, during her testimony in court, saying through tears: “The ward environment was not what I or David expected. It added to his lack of self-worth.

“He was in hospital to be cared for, treated to get better. It was a place where he was secure and safe from harming himself. But there were occasions when I witnessed him being referred to as number B22, because for some care assistants it was easier to remember his room number than his name. On another occasion, I was sat with David and asked for a plain envelope which I knew they would have as there was an office on the ward. The care assistant looked down their nose and said no. David looked at me as if to say, ‘look, see’. The care assistant said ‘who are you?’ I replied that I was David’s mum and that I’d come to see him. “The care assistant said ‘oh, sorry, I thought you were one of the patients.’ This was the treatment that was supposed to help him get better.”

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Source: Manchester Evening News, 13th July 2021

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The £1.8m Salford project helping patients to leave hospital care because more than 40% don’t need to be there

Salford patients delayed on hospital wards are being helped to return to the community with a fresh start in a new home as part of a £1.8 million project.

Progressive landlord ForHousing has joined forces with Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation to tackle the long delays in people being discharged due to a lack of suitable properties.

A number of patients who have received mental health inpatient treatment in hospital or temporary mental health supported accommodation are affected and, according to NHS data, more than 40% of patients currently in mental health hospitals do not actually need to be there.

Click on title for full article

Source: Manchester Evening News, 9th July 2021

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June 2021

Bed occupancy levels at Greater Manchester Mental Health Trust continue to exceed full capacity.”

Papers discussed by Greater Manchester Mental Health Trust’s board show that whilst demand for services dropped during the pandemic, community mental health services then saw a 26pc increase on pre-Covid levels in March – ‘suppressed demand that is now coming through’. Trafford clinical commissioning group noted a similar pattern.

Click on title for full article.

Source: Manchester Evening News, 27th June 2021

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Man took his own life a month after mental health team said he was no longer an ‘urgent priority’

Steven Startup killed himself weeks after he was downgraded from an ‘urgent’ priority by a Greater Manchester Mental Health Trust mental health team. Stephen’s GP had referred him for desperate help after a chat about his suicidal thoughts but the nurse who did this assessment said it wasn’t likely he would act on it.

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Source: Manchester Evening News, 24th June 2021

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Death could have been prevented: Greater Manchester’s mental health trust ‘lost oversight

A heartbroken mum says she feels her daughter’s death could have been prevented if she had received the mental health treatment she desperately needed.  Olivia Garvey was found ‘collapsed and unresponsive’ at the White Lodge Hotel, in Salford, last September – six months after her last involvement with mental health services.

Click on title for full article

Source: Manchester Evening News, 19th June 2021

Coroner will consider whether Greater Manchester Mental Health Trust could have done more to help a mother whose remains were found two years after she went missing

Inquest to be held because of questions over whether Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust could have acted differently before Marie went missing. A coroner will consider whether GMMHT could have done more to help a mother whose remains were found two years after she went missing.The inquest will be heard at South Manchester Coroners Court, in Stockport, for five days from January 10, 2022. Representatives from Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust will be among those giving evidence. The Coroner explained that the evidence he had seen had seen pointed to an ‘escalation of self harm’ in the run-up to Mrs Scott’s disappearance, and that there could have been opportunities to detain her which ‘could have been expected to avoid her death’.

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Source: Manchester Evening News, 17th June 2021

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Grandad desperate for help took his own life after being passed from ‘pillar to post’ by Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust

Inquest heard man left ‘very upset’ when he learned from his GP, just a few days before he took his own life, that he had been discharged by the mental health team.

Manchester Evening News, 15th June 2021

Steven Myers, 49, from Wythenshawe, was found dead in room 222 at The Amblehurst Hotel in Sale on December 2 last year.

Previously homeless, he had been living in the ‘chaotic’ temporary hotel accommodation on Washway Road for eights months up until his death, the inquest heard.

An inquest into his death heard Mr Myers had been left ‘very upset’ when he learned from his GP, just a few days before he took his own life, that he had been discharged by the mental health team.

His GP referred him a second time but the inquest heard Greater Manchester’s mental health trust arranged an appointment for December 7, five days after his death.

Click on title for full article

Source: Manchester Evening News, 15th June 2021

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May 2021

Woman had fatal heart attack due to years of taking antipsychotics, inquest hears

An inquest jury has identified a series of failings in medical services following the death of a woman suffering with mental health issues for nearly 20 years. The long-term side-effects of an antipsychotic drug given 58-year-old Elaine Mylchreest caused her to die of heart problems, the hearing at South Manchester Coroner’s Court in Stockport concluded.

The 11-member jury said that the medical cause of death was myocardial ischemia – which reduces the heart muscle’s ability to pump blood – and dilated cardiomyopathy, a condition in which the heart muscle becomes weakened and enlarged. Both of these symptoms were ‘probably’ caused by Elaine’s long-term use of Clozapine which had been prescribed as a result of a treatment-resistant mental illness and had proved beneficial in alleviating distressing symptoms for many years.

The jury pointed to ‘broader failings’ in the overall treatment by medical services of Elaine, but which did not contribute directly to her death. These included not carrying out an annual electrocardiagram (ECG) tests on Elaine which might have identified the heart problems sooner. They also highlighted issues in identifying the potential link between physical health and on ongoing Clozapine treatment. Coroner Christopher Morris said that Elaine died ‘as a consequence of a recognised complication of necessary medical treatment with Clozapine’.

Source: Manchester Evening News, 13th May 2021

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April 2021

Mental health boss says it’s too much work to find out if legal consent has been given before administering controversial ECT Treatment

Dr Alice Seabourne, medical director at GMMH defends overuse of ECT in Greater Manchester saying it is in line with NICE guidelines. Dr Alice Seabourne disputes the findings of the recent Freedom of Information audit of the use of electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) that showed that GMMHT uses ECT at the fourth highest rate in the country,

Further, GMMHT did not answer all of the Freedom of Information questions it was asked especially about whether patients gave consent before the procedure. Her grounds for not providing the requested information was that it was not held centrally and finding it would ‘create an unreasonable amount of work’ especially considering the pressures of the pandemic.

Click on title for full article

Source: Manchester Evening News, 26th April 2021

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Parents of man who killed himself after death of sister say he was ‘let down’ by GMMHT mental health services

Architecture graduate Stephen Thurm, 32, was found hanged in February 2020.

An inquest heard how Stephen had struggled with mental health problems in adolescence and this was ‘heightened’ after his sister was killed.

After the tragedy, the former Altrincham Grammar School and Nottingham University student, became isolated, attempted suicide and was sectioned on a number of occasions.

Assistant Coroner Chris Murray recorded a conclusion of suicide of suicide following a three day inquest at Stockport Coroners’ Court, on Wednesday (May 5). Mr Murray raised concerns about some aspects of Mr Thurm’s care and said he would be writing a ‘prevention of future deaths’ report. 

The concerns included ‘inconsistencies’ in moving Mr Thurm in and out of the ‘red zone’ – a term used to describe increasing a patient’s contact with the care team in response to a deterioration in their mental health, a lack of time for care coordinators to complete notes, a lack of support Mr Thurm’s parents and concerns about how information provided by the family was used in care plans.

Mr Murray said: “There does not appear to be support for families in cases such as this.”

Source: Manchester Evening News, 6th May 2021

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‘Shortcomings in care’ by Pennine Care NHS Foundation Trust found as man died after absconding from hospital amid ‘deteriorating mental health’

Senior Coroner to make report to the Department of Health and Greater Manchester Health & Social Care Partnership to prevent future deaths. At the time of Martin’s death, there was a failure to conduct a detailed risk assessment in the period while a bed was sought or to agree a joint plan to manage the risk. It is probable that failure contributed to his death.

Ms Mutch, the Senior Coroner told the court: “At the time of his death, there was a failure to conduct a detailed risk assessment in the period while a bed was sought or to agree a joint plan to manage the risk. “It is probable that failure contributed to his death.”

While Ms Mutch was presented with evidence to indicate that procedures and new documents had been implemented within the two trusts, including a clearer definition of how someone is deemed to be of ‘high risk’, she feared it was not enough on a ‘national’ level. As a result, Ms Mutch said she would be making a report to prevent future deaths directed to the Department of Health and Greater Manchester Health & Social Care Partnership.The senior coroner said the report would identify the need for a ‘documented risk assessment and a documented share care plan between acute and mental health trusts’. It would also look into the issues around mental health bed shortages and a ‘responsibility’ of care.

Ms Mutch explained: “There was a very clear message from all the mental health witnesses who gave evidence that the issues of beds are ongoing in terms of patients such as Mr Gibbons who need to be placed in those beds.

“Another issue is the fact that he was assessed by a mental health trust in that mental trust area but because he doesn’t live there, it’s another mental health trust that has to take responsibility for his care That’s not an issue with the trust, they’re following a system, but that’s something that clearly isn’t right.”

Source: Manchester Evening News, 23rd April 2021

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‘Gross failings’ by Greater Manchester Mental Health Trust contributed to suicide of former rugby player inquest found

Within a crisis care plan compiled in February 2020, there was specific reference to expressions of concern on the part of the family being indicative of the deterioration of the deceased’s mental health. Such concerns were raised on April 16, May 7, September 17 and November 3.

Those concerns were not followed up by the care coordinator and as such there was no face-to-face review of the deceased; the family’s concerns were not escalated; the follow-up appointment for the CTO due in October 2020 was not arranged; the deceased’s care plan made no reference to the CTO or conditions; the deceased was not seen by a mental health professional after May 2020; for reasons unknown, neither the planned care coordinator contact on May 14 and November 24, nor any psychiatric review after April 9 took place; supervision was either inadequate or non-existent.

All of which amounted to gross failings and as such, sub-optimal care.

Source: Manchester Evening News, 23rd April 2021

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March 2021

Pennine Care NHS Foundation Trust slammed after popular young artist survived jump from car park but killed himself in hospital

A jury has found mental services were ‘fundamentally flawed’ in their handling of a beloved son and brother who killed himself in a hospital ward and that a lack of communication between mental health teams, particularly after Ashley’s most recent admission, had partly contributed to his death.

Ashley’s family has criticised the mental health care their loved one received, saying that health care teams were ‘reactive instead of proactive’ and had a habit of ‘only intervening at the point they have to’ Brother Christopher also raised concerns that Ashley’s care ‘was too clinical’, adding that he felt medics ‘did not take the time to get to know’ their patient.

The jury found that the process of discharging him from the Rochdale hospital had been ‘wholly insufficient’ and that there had been a lack of documentation relating to his condition for medics to use. They also concluded that the ‘communication and handover documentation was fundamentally flawed’, and that this needed to be improved.

Coroner Lisa Judge said that she would likely have issued recommendations for change within the mental health services that cared for the young artist, but staff within the hospital had already undertaken a review and made changes.

“What is apparent is that, as a result of the root cause investigation, a formal document was prepared with recommendations that the authors had and all of those recommendations have been taken forward by the trust,” the coroner said.

Source: Manchester Evening News, 11th March 2021

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February 2021

Father of Emily Jones hits out as review of GMMHT finds actions of patient that killed his daughter ‘could not have been predicted

Despite the evidence of previous violence towards others, threatening behaviour involving a child and the lack of medication monitoring, an internal GMMHT review concluded that the attack on Emily ‘could not have been predicted or prevented’.

Emily’s father, Mark Jones, has been heavily critical of the mental health services and has slammed review into Skana’s treatment. He says he is waiting for a second investigation, already announced by NHS England, which is set to be launched soon.

“It clearly highlights major failures in GMMH’s systems and a lack of communication,” Mr Jones said.

“The lack of communication was probably down to so many people being involved in Skana’s care. She was passed from pillar to post, and as a result, some clinicians were unaware of the threat she posed.

“The failings are clearly and comprehensively addressed in their review but they still continue to relinquish all responsibility for the actions that lead to my daughter’s death. I therefore welcome the further imminent review by NHS England. I await their findings and will act on it accordingly in due course.”

Source: Manchester Evening News, 8th February 2021

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Melanie Hogben fell to her death from Arndale car park after battling mental health issues, inquest hears

Melanie, who leaves behind a son and a daughter, had been struggling with mental health issues for several years. She was sectioned under the Mental Health Act just months before her death after battling Schizoaffective disorder. 

An inquest into her death at Manchester Coroners’ Court heard she was discharged from a mental health unit in June 2018.

Melanie was admitted to the Moorside Unit at Trafford General Hospital, which is run by the Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust, on March 9, 2018.

During her admission, a consultant psychiatrist changed her medication to a depot injection for two weeks to ‘improve her symptoms’, the inquest heard.

Her partner Tony said they were ‘concerned’ by the injection because of the side effects she suffered.

By the time Melanie was discharged on June 13, her condition had improved and she was put back on her previous anti-psychotic medication.

She had regular visits from a care coordinator until the beginning of August, but wasn’t then seen or contacted by any mental health professionals until October 18.

That care coordinator went off sick before leaving her position, the inquest heard.

But despite being classed as ‘high-priority’ after being sectioned, Melanie wasn’t given a new care coordinator until August 22.

Her new coordinator Wilma Martin-Lawrence told the inquest she was on a two-week holiday at the time Melanie was added to her case load of 28 service users.

The inquest also heard how she was unable to work in her capacity as care coordinator on 21 out of 43 days at that time due to other professional commitments.

Ms Martin-Lawrence was unable to make contact with Melanie until the beginning of October after she had contacted mental health services to ask who her care coordinator was.

Melanie took her life just over two weeks later.

A serious incident review was carried out by the Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust. It showed that there were ‘significant staffing issues’ at the time of Melanie’s death. Daniel Cottam, operational manager for mental health services in central Manchester, told the inquest the team ‘was under significant pressure at the time’.

Source: Manchester Evening News, 3rd February 2021

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2020

December 2020

The tragic mistakes that sealed the fate of Zak Bennett-Eko

Zak Bennett-Eko killed his son and was found guilty of manslaughter by reason of diminished responsibility. The presiding judge at the Lowry Nightingale Court had one important question of his own – exactly how did it come to this?

There were some answers revealed in court, as three psychiatrists took to the witness box to try and make sense of the incomprehensible. They told a story of a severely mentally ill man – aware of his spiralling condition – ‘slipping through the net’ and being ‘failed by the system’ at every turn, to use the judge’s own words.

The judge addressed Bennett-Eko, though he was not present in court, as he sentenced him to a hospital order which would confine him to a secure prison hospital.

“The regular trips you made to A&E show that you made genuine and sustained attempts to seek professional help,” said Judge Fraser.

“You were trying, as best you could in this respect, and you expressly asked to be sectioned.

“Your difficulties in communicating would have made it a lot more difficult for doctors in a busy A&E department to recognise your mental state, and sadly, on each occasion you presented at the hospital the help you needed was not available.

“You have serious medical conditions requiring urgent, intensive and long-term treatment.

“However, it is not the only failure of the system in your case. You seem to have slipped through the net in terms of care for your mental illness, which with hindsight was far more serious than was realised at the time.”

Although the young dad came off his medication, it was clear he had enough insight to seek help when he felt his condition relapsing in the weeks before the killing. Altogether, Zak Bennett-Eko went to A&E six times in 2019, begging for help with his deteriorating mental health. On one occasion, he specifically asked medics to section him.

Source: Manchester Evening News, 22nd December 2020