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Ellis’ story
RIP Ellis! We Honour you and we will endeavour to ensure your struggle is not forgotten!
I must admit a bias, as a trans/non-binary person, Ellis’ pain is especially triggering and painful. His young age and personal circumstances only add to it
This is a 15-year-old child who just walked in front of a train straight after a counselling session.
What happened? What did the psychiatrist think of? Why is the relevant doctor not being held personally responsible?
The care plan seems inadequate and failing to give the patient due respect and consideration:
- A&E is not the way to manage suicidal people. It would have been much better to give them a phone and let them call the Samaritans!
- A “counselling” appointment with a support worker does not seem appropriate for a young person who tried to take his life just a day earlier.
- A youngster does not suddenly wish to unlive. Their needs had obviously been overlooked for a long time.
- A person who is receiving talking therapy should not be in such turmoil, shouldn’t have there been a therapeutic alliance in place?
The whole situation reeks of gaslighting!
#RIPEllisMurphyRichards #TransLivesMatter #LGBTQIAplus #NSUN #NELFT #MedicalGaslighting #MedicalGaslightingKills #LampardInquiry #NHSComplaints #PatientSafety #PHSOmbudsman
News Report
Read the local newspaper article: “Ellis Murphy-Richards: NHS care questioned over suicide” below.
A coroner is writing a report after raising concerns about the NHS response to a transgender boy who took his life after leaving a counselling session. Click to expand
A coroner is writing a report after raising concerns about the NHS response to a transgender boy who took his life after leaving a counselling session.
Ellis Murphy-Richards, 15, died when he was hit by a train in September 2020.
Assistant coroner Sonia Hayes concluded the teenager’s death was suicide, but raised concerns an NHS worker had to deal with the situation alone and a psychiatrist deviated from a care plan.
North East London NHS Foundation Trust said it would work to improve care.
The hearing in Maidstone was told about the events that led up to his death:
A coroner is writing a report after raising concerns about the NHS response to a transgender boy who took his life after leaving a counselling session.
Ellis Murphy-Richards, 15, died when he was hit by a train in September 2020.
Assistant coroner Sonia Hayes concluded the teenager’s death was suicide, but raised concerns an NHS worker had to deal with the situation alone and a psychiatrist deviated from a care plan.
North East London NHS Foundation Trust said it would work to improve care.
The hearing in Maidstone was told about the events that led up to his death:
- On 29 September, Mr Murphy-Richards attempted suicide at his grandmother’s house in Faversham where he lived.
- On 30 September, in a telephone appointment at 10:00, his grandmother told the psychiatrist about the suicide attempt. Rather than following the care plan and telling them to go to A&E, the psychiatrist decided they should keep an appointment that afternoon with a support worker.
- At the appointment, the support worker asked the manager what to do if Mr Murphy-Richards refused to go to A&E and was told to ring police.
- Mr Murphy-Richards said he wouldn’t go to A&E and left. The manager ran after him, then returned to call police.
- The teenager walked to Sheppey and at 16:41 took his life.
‘Loved to laugh’
Ms Hayes said the support worker was “left to deal with the situation on her own”, adding: “She was put in a very difficult position.”
She raised concerns psychiatrist Dr Shobha Puttaswamaiah deviated from the care plan by not telling the teenager to go to A&E.
Ms Hayes criticised the care and safety plan put in place for the teenager, particularly that there were no contingency plans if he did not co-operate.
Bola Awogboro, caseworker at charity Inquest, said: “The mental health professionals who spoke to Ellis on the day of his death knew urgent interventions were required, yet their plans were reliant on A&E, the police, and Ellis’s family.”
The teenager’s mother, Natasha Murphy welcomed the coroner’s actions, adding: “I feel Ellis’s death could have been prevented, like all suicides, and was not inevitable.”
Brid Johnson, director of operations at the NHS trust, said: “Our team had a long-term relationship with the young person and delivered care based on their assessment of his presenting condition.
“Following the incident we conducted an investigation and reviewed our practices to ensure we continue to provide safe care.
“We will work with health and social care partners across Kent and Medway to review and improve the care and support we provide.”
“Ellis Murphy-Richards: NHS care questioned over suicide”. BBC. 4 June 2021. Retrieved 26 September 2021.
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