A woman was "massively failed by the mental health system," an inquest jury heard, when she passed away while being held at a psychiatric hospital 250 miles (400 km) from her home.
In February 2022, Lauren Bridges, a 20-year-old from Bournemouth, passed away at Priory Hospital Cheadle Royal in Stockport, Greater Manchester, as a result of an accident.
Lindsey Bridges, her mother, claimed that her surroundings "did more harm than good.".
Lauren, according to her, was "left alone, away from home, and without treatment.".
Two days after being discovered unconscious in a bathroom at Priory Hospital on February 24, Ms. Bridges passed away at Wythenshawe Hospital.
During her testimony at the hearing in Stockport, Lauren's mother claimed that earlier that evening, Lauren called her "screaming hysterically, begging me to get her out.".
In July 2021, she claimed that her daughter was "hysterical" when she was given an hour to pack before being taken to the hospital.
She stated that Lauren's treatment revealed a "lack of compassion and care," which raised "significant concerns" in her mind.
Nothing was moving along quickly enough, according to Lindsey Bridges, and her "brave, beautiful" daughter was afraid of the other patients.
Despite having mental health issues since she was 15, the inquest heard that Lauren was a "straight-A student.".
She struggled to leave the house because of her panic attacks and obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), according to her mother.
According to Lindsey Bridges, Lauren was first admitted to a mental health facility when she was 17 years old. Since then, she has been moved to several hospitals that are far from her home.
She was determined to be autistic at the Priory hospital, according to the coroner.
The investigation is ongoing.
