This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/society/2016/apr/28/concerns-teenager-killed-himself-after-leaving-hospital-john-partridge
The article has changed 3 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Concerns grow over case of teenager who killed himself after leaving hospital | Concerns grow over case of teenager who killed himself after leaving hospital |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| A coroner is writing to the health secretary over the case of a troubled 17-year-old who took his own life after discharging himself from hospital at the weekend without being seen by specialists in mental health in children and young people. | |
| The coroner will also express concerns over confusion surrounding whether talented musician John Taylor Partridge, who was admitted to hospital following an overdose, should have been treated as an adult or a child. | The coroner will also express concerns over confusion surrounding whether talented musician John Taylor Partridge, who was admitted to hospital following an overdose, should have been treated as an adult or a child. |
| John’s family said the case showed why a full seven-day NHS was necessary and argued that he fell through a “gaping black hole in the current mental health service” that meant the right treatment for a 17-year-old was not available. | |
| A serious case review made eight recommendations to a range of bodies and professionals who were involved in the case. | |
| Following the inquest, John’s mother, Sandy Partridge, said: “John was a particularly vulnerable young man who fell through the cracks of the healthcare system. Despite a history of mental health issues, our teenage son was able to discharge himself from the care of professionals. | Following the inquest, John’s mother, Sandy Partridge, said: “John was a particularly vulnerable young man who fell through the cracks of the healthcare system. Despite a history of mental health issues, our teenage son was able to discharge himself from the care of professionals. |
| “John was assessed as an adult, treated as an adult and ultimately discharged as an adult, when in fact he was a sensitive, defenceless young man, not yet 18, who posed a high risk to himself. | “John was assessed as an adult, treated as an adult and ultimately discharged as an adult, when in fact he was a sensitive, defenceless young man, not yet 18, who posed a high risk to himself. |
| “We believe there is a grey area in mental healthcare that needs to be examined and resolved in order to prevent any more young people slipping through the net.” | “We believe there is a grey area in mental healthcare that needs to be examined and resolved in order to prevent any more young people slipping through the net.” |
| John, who was from Plymouth, was admitted as an emergency to Derriford hospital in the city on Friday 14 March 2014 after taking an overdose. He had blood on his clothes after cutting himself with a razor blade. | John, who was from Plymouth, was admitted as an emergency to Derriford hospital in the city on Friday 14 March 2014 after taking an overdose. He had blood on his clothes after cutting himself with a razor blade. |
| He was dealt with at the medical assessment unit where a consultant identified him as being at high risk of further self-harm. The plan was to refer him to psychiatry with a view to sectioning under the Mental Health Act. He had previously been diagnosed with autistic spectrum disorder and mild learning difficulties and was on antidepressants prescribed by his GP. | He was dealt with at the medical assessment unit where a consultant identified him as being at high risk of further self-harm. The plan was to refer him to psychiatry with a view to sectioning under the Mental Health Act. He had previously been diagnosed with autistic spectrum disorder and mild learning difficulties and was on antidepressants prescribed by his GP. |
| The following day, Saturday, John absconded from the hospital and police were called to bring him back. | The following day, Saturday, John absconded from the hospital and police were called to bring him back. |
| Because it was the weekend, the child and adolescent mental health service (CAMHS) outreach team was not available. He was seen by a junior doctor and a mental health nurse and concluded that he was well enough to discharge himself and was not at risk of immediate self-harm. | |
| On Sunday, John left his parents’ home and was found dead in woodland. | On Sunday, John left his parents’ home and was found dead in woodland. |
| Sandy Partridge said: “John should never have been discharged: we believe his death was avoidable. There wasn’t a full team working in mental health during the weekend that John was admitted, and our belief is that there is a gaping black hole in the current mental health service and we support the government’s initiative for a seven-day service.” | Sandy Partridge said: “John should never have been discharged: we believe his death was avoidable. There wasn’t a full team working in mental health during the weekend that John was admitted, and our belief is that there is a gaping black hole in the current mental health service and we support the government’s initiative for a seven-day service.” |
| After recording a verdict of suicide, coroner Andrew Cox said he would write to health secretary Jeremy Hunt regarding the provision of CAMHS at weekends and a problematic “overlap” between the Children Act and the Mental Capacity Act regarding children aged between 16 and 18. | After recording a verdict of suicide, coroner Andrew Cox said he would write to health secretary Jeremy Hunt regarding the provision of CAMHS at weekends and a problematic “overlap” between the Children Act and the Mental Capacity Act regarding children aged between 16 and 18. |
| The Children Act says that teenagers should be treated as children up to the age of 18 and that the safety and welfare of the child is paramount; the Mental Capacity Act (MCA) applies to people 16 and over. John was treated as if he was an adult under the Mental Capacity Act and not as a child under the Children Act. | The Children Act says that teenagers should be treated as children up to the age of 18 and that the safety and welfare of the child is paramount; the Mental Capacity Act (MCA) applies to people 16 and over. John was treated as if he was an adult under the Mental Capacity Act and not as a child under the Children Act. |
| The Plymouth Safeguarding Children’s Board (PSCB) has prepared a report on the case. Chair Andy Bickley said: “This report recognises that this was a challenging case for all involved and highlights the difficulties posed when professionals are faced with adolescents, especially those self-harming, in that transition period of 16 to 18 years of age.” | The Plymouth Safeguarding Children’s Board (PSCB) has prepared a report on the case. Chair Andy Bickley said: “This report recognises that this was a challenging case for all involved and highlights the difficulties posed when professionals are faced with adolescents, especially those self-harming, in that transition period of 16 to 18 years of age.” |
| It said funding had now been secured to allow children and adolescents who have self-harmed at weekends and bank holidays to be assessed by the community outreach team. | It said funding had now been secured to allow children and adolescents who have self-harmed at weekends and bank holidays to be assessed by the community outreach team. |
| The health bodies involved – Plymouth Hospitals NHS Trust, Livewell Southwest, which provides mental health care, and the commissioning group NEW Devon CCG said: “This was an extremely challenging case for all involved and the area of safeguarding children under the Children Act and the crossover with the Mental Capacity Act when a young person is aged between 17 and 18 is extremely complex. We are committed to working through the actions and towards better, joined-up working as a health community do to everything possible to try to prevent a similar event recurring.” | The health bodies involved – Plymouth Hospitals NHS Trust, Livewell Southwest, which provides mental health care, and the commissioning group NEW Devon CCG said: “This was an extremely challenging case for all involved and the area of safeguarding children under the Children Act and the crossover with the Mental Capacity Act when a young person is aged between 17 and 18 is extremely complex. We are committed to working through the actions and towards better, joined-up working as a health community do to everything possible to try to prevent a similar event recurring.” |