An aspiring teacher who was tragically found dead in her bedroom at a private mental health unit in Manchester should not have been left alone, a coroner has ruled.
‘One-of-a-kind’ Leah Taylor was found unresponsive in her room at the Eleanor Hospital, an independent women’s mental health facility on Palatine Road in Didsbury, in June last year. She suffered from emotionally unstable personality disorder (EUPD) and had been transferred to the unit last May from an NHS hospital for specialist treatment.
At the time of her death, the 20-year-old, who was detained under the Mental Health Act, was being observed every 15 minutes by staff, an inquest heard. It was during one of these 15-minute periods between checks that she deliberately harmed herself, causing fatal injuries.
Following the inquest, which was held earlier this month, a jury returned a conclusion of misadventure in but concluded Leah’s death was caused or contributed to by decisions made not to increase or enhance her observations. The jury found that she should not have been left alone after a previous self-harming incident just a few minutes earlier.
In light of the conclusion, Leah’s heartbroken parents Helen and Paul called for changes to mental health provisions. They said they believed that if her ‘care had been managed differently she would still be with us’.
The hospital offered ‘sincere condolences’ and described Leah’s death as an ‘unfortunate incident’. In a statement released by their lawyers, Helen and Paul said: “Leah brought so much love and laughter into all our lives.
“She was an inspiration, and she has left a permanent mark on all that knew her. She was a gift that kept on giving, she truly was one of a kind.
“Leah was our light and our only focus in life. We were a team of three people who adored each other.
“Now she is missing, our light has gone out. Had Leah’s care been managed differently, we think she would still be with us and working towards her hopes and dreams for the future.”
Leah, from Chorley in Lancashire, had dreams to become a special educational needs (SEN) teacher and had enrolled on a course a week before her death. Leah had plans to travel as well as take on a role at a school near her home.
Her parents described her as having a ‘sensitive soul’ and a ‘heart of gold’. The inquest heard how she tragically died of asphyxiation.
(Image: MEN Media)
Jurors were told how in the hours before her death, she had multiple serious incidents including several incidents of self-harm. Late on June 16, she was distressed as she phoned her parents.
Her dad Paul called the ward to express his concern for his daughter. After being found unresponsive, emergency care was administered to Leah but she was pronounced dead in the early hours of June 17, 2023.
Helen and Paul added: “We have had to fight at every stage to find out the truth. On the other hand some of the individual nursing and support staff we heard evidence from spoke about Leah with real compassion.
“We could see they were trying to be clear and honest when they gave their evidence to the inquest. We found that very helpful.
“We miss Leah so much. Although Leah had struggled with her mental health for many years, behind her fear and struggles, she was a determined young woman.
“She just wanted to be happy and have a life to call her own. She had made plans, she wanted to be a special educational needs teacher and she had enrolled on a course a week or so before she passed.
“She also planned to travel and make use of her new teaching skills in other countries, as well as take on a role at a local school near home. Leah would only ever think of others and even though she was struggling herself, she would take on other people’s problems and make them her own.
“She would help and support others in any way she could. She cared and loved her family, friends, and others that she met along the way, very deeply.
“She had a heart of gold. We think her weakness was that she cared and loved too much, and this showed in her struggles.”
(Image: Paul Taylor)
Alexander Terry, a public law and human rights lawyer at Irwin Mitchell, who represented Helen and Paul, said after the hearing: “There is a recognised national shortage of good quality specialist mental health placements for young women with complex trauma and conditions characterised as personality disorders.
“The NHS is almost completely reliant on the private sector for this type of provision. The government and the NHS must act now to rectify the entirely inadequate and unjust lack of provision for this especially vulnerable group of patients.”
A spokesperson for Eleanor EHC Limited, which runs the hospital, said: “Our thoughts remain with Leah’s family, and we would like to offer our sincere condolences to them once more. Her death was an unfortunate incident that not only shocked her family but us, as an organisation too.
“To honour Leah’s memory, we have reached out to her family and invited them to join as ‘friends’, with the view to plant a memorial in dedication of Leah in the gardens of Eleanor.”
Samaritans (116 123) samaritans.org operates a 24-hour service available every day of the year. If you prefer to write down how you’re feeling, or if you’re worried about being overheard on the phone, you can email Samaritans at **@********ns.org, write to Freepost SAMARITANS LETTERS (no more information needed) and visit www.samaritans.org/branches to find your nearest branch.
For support for people feeling suicidal, if you are concerned about someone or if you are bereaved by suicide see http://shiningalightonsuicide.org.uk
CALM (0800 58 58 58) thecalmzone.net has a helpline is for men who are down or have hit a wall for any reason, who need to talk or find information and support. They’re open 5pm to midnight, 365 days a year.
Greater Manchester Bereavement Service Greater Manchester Bereavement Service can help to find support for anyone in Greater Manchester that has been bereaved or affected by a death. No one needs to feel alone as they deal with their grief. www.greater-manchester-bereavement-service.org.uk
Childline (0800 1111 ) runs a helpline for children and young people in the UK. Calls are free and the number won’t show up on your phone bill.
PAPYRUS (0800 068 41 41) is a voluntary organisation supporting teenagers and young adults who are feeling suicidal.
Beat Eating Disorders: Beat provides helplines for adults and young people offering support and information about eating disorders. These helplines are free to call from all phones. Adult Helpline: 0808 801 0677, Studentline: 0808 801 0811, Youthline: 0808 801 0711. www.beateatingdisorders.org.uk
Anorexia & Bulimia Care: ABC provide on-going care, emotional support and practical guidance for anyone affected by eating disorders, those struggling personally and parents, families and friends. Helpline: 03000 11 12 13. www.anorexiabulimiacare.org.uk/
Students Against Depression is a website for students who are depressed, have a low mood or are having suicidal thoughts. Bullying UK is a website for both children and adults affected by bullying studentsagainstdepression.org
For information and links to charities and organisations that can help with substance abuse, visit https://www.supportline.org.uk/problems/drugs/