Three women died at Priory psychiatric unit in two months

Two different young women died successful the aforesaid psychiatric infirmary arsenic a intelligence wellness blogger successful the 2 months earlier her death, a BBC probe has found.

Beth Matthews, 26, from Cornwall, ordered a poisonous substance from Russia, which was posted to her unafraid ward astatine Priory Hospital Cheadle Royal adjacent Stockport, wherever she ingested it.

The BBC has learned Lauren Bridges and Deseree Fitzpatrick besides died there.

The infirmary said the deaths were "extremely tragic" but "unconnected".

Ms Matthews died successful March 2022 aft swallowing the toxic substance successful beforehand of staff.

The jury's foreman said the infirmary had provided "inadequate attraction of a highly susceptible patient".

The inquest heard that, 3 weeks earlier her death, Ms Matthews had told a caregiver "there are things you tin acquisition to bash the job".

Her attraction program indicated she should not beryllium allowed to unfastened her ain post.

On the time she died she was being supervised by 2 members of staff.

Ms Matthews was capable to get the apical disconnected a tiny integrative instrumentality and, contempt being restrained, was capable to swallow a quantity of pulverization inside.

She died successful infirmary aboriginal that day.

"Something occurred successful a spot wherever she was expected to beryllium harmless that should ne'er person been allowed to happen," her begetter Chris Matthews said.

BBC News tin uncover that 4 weeks before, connected 24 February, Ms Bridges died.

The 20-year-old, who was diagnosed with a signifier of autism, was besides connected a unafraid ward astatine the time.

Her inquest is owed to instrumentality spot adjacent month.

About a period before, connected 23 January 2022, Ms Fitzpatrick died.

The 30-year-old, who was being treated for the effects of alcoholism, was admitted to the infirmary aft her intelligence wellness deteriorated.

Her inquest recovered she was fixed inappropriate medicine by unit which caused "significant sedation".

This caused her to choke to decease successful her sleep.

Ms Fitzpatrick's inquest heard that her carers were meant to cheque connected her passim the nighttime astatine 15-minute intervals.

But CCTV grounds showed those checks were, successful the words of the coroner, "woefully inadequate".

Those failures did not origin her death, however.

"If my girl didn't spell into the Priory, she'd inactive beryllium live today," her parent Angela Porter said.

"They killed her. They've got humor connected their hands. And I'm not going to fto this spell until I get justness for my daughter."

The deaths of each 3 women rise superior questions implicit the modular of attraction astatine the Priory Royal Cheadle.

The Priory Group is 1 of the biggest providers of backstage intelligence wellness services to the NHS, with 85% of its services publically funded.

It is the genitor institution of the backstage Priory session successful Roehampton, the London session champion known for treating celebrities.

A bid of scandals astatine inpatient intelligence wellness units successful England, some NHS and private, person accrued calls for a nationalist inquiry.

Brian Dow, Mental Health UK's main enforcement said: "These units are dealing with immoderate of the astir susceptible patients who person the top level of need.

"The prime of enactment has got to beryllium of the implicit highest order.

"I deliberation what excessively galore units bash not bash is dainty those patients similar people."

A Priory infirmary connection said: "We apologise unreservedly for the shortcomings successful the attraction of Deseree Fitzpatrick and Beth Matthews past year, and privation to explicit our sincere condolences to their families and friends.

"We are incapable to remark connected a further decease astatine Cheadle Royal Hospital until the inquest concludes aboriginal this year."

While the deaths were "completely unconnected" each lessons learned from incidents "are shared wide with our unit and reinforced done ward meetings," it added.

"The information of our patients remains our utmost precedence and we instantly took enactment to code the issues raised successful some inquests, and our ain robust investigations, and enhanced our procedures."

Cheadle Royal Hospital was inspected by the Care Quality Commission past April and received a standing of good, including for the domain of safety.