Train tragedy teenager ‘let down by system’
PARENTS SAY AUTHORITIES LET DOWN ANOREXIA-BATTLE GIRL WHO KILLED HERSELF
THE parents of an anorexic schoolgirl who stepped in front of a train five days after being released from hospital have said their daughter was ‘failed from beginning to end.’
Pippa ‘Pip’ McManus’s mother Marie and father Jim were speaking as an emotional two-week inquest came to a close with the jury deciding that planning for her discharge was not done well enough.
They also said there was not enough communication with Pip’s family over an increased risk of suicide. But the jury at the Stockport hearing, returning a verdict of suicide with contributory factors, said it was right for the 15-yearold to have been discharged from the Priory Hospital in Altrincham where she had been receiving treatment.
Mr and Mrs McManus, from Gatley, said Pip had been let down by everyone involved in her care, which included Stepping Hill Hospital, Stockport Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services, the Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital, the Priory and Trafford council.
Speaking on the steps of the coroner’s court, Mrs McManus said: “Our beautiful daughter, Pip, took her own life. She was just 15 years old. The tear in the thread of our family will never be mended. Pip spent her last three years fighting anorexia, malnutrition, depression and self harm.
“We believe the failings in our daughter’s care from beginning to end resulted in her death. Anorexia has the highest mortality rate attributed to any psychiatric illness with as many as 40 per cent of deaths due to suicide. Too many of our children are dying from this terrible illness. Effective treatment is needed more quickly and if this had been available to our daughter maybe she would still be alive today.”
Mr McManus described his daughter as ‘a lovely girl’ who was involved with St Ann’s Hospice and took part in charity runs. Talking about his feelings when Pip returned home from hospital, Mr McManus said: “We wanted her home for some form of family life. She wanted her life back on track but it (anorexia) would pull her down.
“I feel over the three years of the illness there was a lot more failings than just the build-up to her discharge, from start to finish. Pip was failed terribly.”
South Manchester Assistant Coroner Andrew Bridgman said the jury found the support packages put in place were not quite adequate enough. The agencies were working in parallel with no clear lead.
The jury agreed that support packages in place as of December 4, 2015, were sufficient to manage most of the risks associated with discharge. However, a more personalised risk management plan for both parents and Pip, emphasising the increased risk of suicide and self-harm, together with a mental health advocate for Pip, may have kept her safer during the immediate period following discharge.
After being released from The Priory, her care was due to be taken up by Trafford council.
Priory Hospital director Paula Stanford said: “Our heartfelt sympathies are with Pip’s family and we will now carefully consider the findings of the jury.”
A spokesman for the Pennine Care NHS Foundation Trust, in charge of Pip’s care at Stepping Hill, said: “We accept the findings of the inquest into Miss McManus’ death. We deeply regret any shortcomings which occurred in this case and would like to offer our apologies and sincere condolences to the family. In line with our commitment to providing safe and effective service, immediately following the incident an investigation was undertaken. We will take on board learning from the inquest to ensure we further improve our services.”