Mum's hope after son's death in Sussex highlights nationwide concerns
Matty Sheldrick took their own life after being held in a Sussex emergency department for almost a month while in crisis
A bereaved mum is hoping changes will be made after a watchdog found concerns raised in her son's inquest are affecting mental health patients across the country.
Matty Sheldrick took their own life in 2022 after being held in a Sussex emergency department for almost a month while in crisis.
A coroner found that it was an "unsuitable as a holding place for those in need of a mental health bed", as well as a "gap in services" for those who "don't meet the criteria" to be sectioned, but are too unwell to go home.
Their story has now helped inform a nationwide report from the Health Services Investigations Safety Body - which has uncovered that long stays in A&E "may worsen patients' conditions".
It noted that "prolonged waits, crowding, overstiumulation, lack of privacy, limited observation and unmet basic needs could increase distress, deterioration and risk" for people in crisis, other patients and staff - adding that these risks weren't "experienced equally" by those with "protected characteristics", including trauma and neurodevelopmental needs.
For Matty, who had autism and ADHD, the environment "was not suitable due to their ongoing sensory issues", their inquest said.
Matty's mum, Shelagh Sheldrick, told Greatest Hits Radio it was a "relief" for a full investigation to take place:
"Sadly the outcome of it is that this is a nationwide problem and it's very clear that A&E is not a safe place for many people in mental health crisis," she said.
"At least now it's in the public domain, it's gone to NHS England with recommendations and you can only hope that there will be change of some sort."
Report "validating" for families
She shared that having Matty's story "woven through the whole report" feels "validating" and gives them "some sort of legacy"
"His experience is replicated by other families - very similar circumstances and feelings of the way they were treated and how their loved ones responded to being in A&E.
"I'm just a parent, so as far as making change is concerned, it's such a massive task that needs to happen in mental health services, I can't do that alone.
"To know these organisations are picking up on these failings gives some sort of comfort."
"Unacceptable" findings, says Government
A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said it was "unacceptable that people facing mental health crises have not been getting the care they need, when they need it": "That is why this Government is committed to transforming mental health services in our country.
“We are rolling out 159 new emergency mental health facilities to give people specialist care in their own communities, and later this year, our Mental Health Strategy will go further, outlining our plans to build a more integrated system that intervenes earlier and reduces waiting times so people can receive the right support when they need it most.”