Skip to main contentSkip to navigation Close dialogue1/1 Next image Previous image Toggle captionSkip to navigation Ellame Ford-Dunn died in March 2022 after absconding from an acute children’s ward. Photograph: PA View image in fullscreen Ellame Ford-Dunn died in March 2022 after absconding from an acute children’s ward. Photograph: PA Lack of mental health beds contributed to UK teenager’s death, inquest findsPoor communication also cited as factor in death of Ellame Ford-Dunn, 16, on Worthing hospital’s grounds A shortage of mental health beds and poor communication between agencies contributed to the death of a teenage girl on hospital grounds, an inquest has found.Ellame Ford-Dunn, 16, who had a history of self-harm, died in March 2022 after absconding from an acute children’s ward where she had been put because of a dearth of appropriate mental health beds.Her family and campaigners say Ellame’s death exposed a mental health system “crumbling at the seams”.The inquest jury at West Sussex coroner’s court was told that Ellame absconded “multiple times” during her stay at Worthing hospital’s Bluefin ward, which was not a specialist mental health unit.Jurors concluded the decision to place Ellame there was “inappropriate” and “more than minimally” contributed to her death. They found “inadequate provision” of mental health beds also contributed to her death.The coroner Joanne Andrews said she would issue a prevention…
Published: February 2, 2026 5:56 pm
Source: The Guardian — Read original