Family of girl who died while sectioned at Worthing Hospital want 'answers and accountability'
The inquest continues
The family of a teenage girl who died while sectioned want "answers and accountability" from care providers, an inquest heard.
Ellame Ford-Dunn, 16, died after absconding and ligaturing in the grounds of Worthing Hospital while she was a mental health inpatient on March 20 2022.
She had absconded "multiple times" during her stay on Bluefin ward at Worthing Hospital, which was not a specialist mental health ward.
At West Sussex Coroner's Court in Horsham on Monday, jurors heard that Bluefin was a paediatric ward, which was "not ideal" for Ellame, but there were no spaces for her in an acute mental health facility.
Ellame's mother, Nancy Ford-Dunn said they did not feel "properly supported" by social services and healthcare providers.
Ms Ford-Dunn told the court that her daughter began to struggle with her mental health when she started secondary school, and was diagnosed with autism, ADHD and dyslexia.
She had been an inpatient on mental health wards before but was released in January 2022 to live with her parents, the inquest heard.
Ms Ford-Dunn said: "In the first discharge planning meeting, we specifically asked what support we would be given to manage Ellame at home.
"We felt that we were not given clear answers and commitments, and that we were expecting too much from services."
The family felt the lack of urgency among healthcare professionals was "unnerving" and once Ellame was back home, she made multiple attempts on her own life.
"On reflection, we do not feel that we were properly supported, and particularly by social services, who we believe should have prepared parent and carer assessments which would have informed the care plan. We asked for these assessments to take place several times," said Ms Ford-Dunn.
Ellame had been under 24-hour one-to-one supervision by a registered mental health nurse on an acute ward at Worthing Hospital when she absconded.
The night before her death, she had also left her room and tried to take her own life after realising there was not a nurse in her room when she woke up.
Her father told the court that he spoke to a nurse on the Bluefin ward and they tried to reassure him, when he visited Ellame on the day she died.
Area coroner Joanne Andrews said that the "policies and procedures in relation to missing patients" on Bluefin ward would be part of the inquest scope.
This afternoon, consultant child psychologist Dr Arianna Marconi, told jurors that Ellame was only on Bluefin ward because "there wasn't a mental health bed available" and admitted that it was "sub-optimal" for her care.
Bluefin ward in Worthing Hospital is managed by University Hospitals Sussex NHS Trust, while mental health provision is dealt with by Sussex Partnership Foundation Trust, both of which have been named "interested persons" for the inquest.
Ellame's family said she loved dancing, was "polite and kind" and had a "wonderous and mischievous laugh".
"We miss her very much and hope this process provides some answers and accountability and brings about change for other children," said Ms Ford-Dunn.
The inquest continues.