London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Saturday, Feb 22, 2025

Three women died at Priory psychiatric unit in two months

Three women died at Priory psychiatric unit in two months

Two other young women died in the same psychiatric hospital as a mental health blogger in the two months before her death, a BBC investigation has found.

Beth Matthews, 26, from Cornwall, ordered a poisonous substance from Russia, which was posted to her secure ward at Priory Hospital Cheadle Royal near Stockport, where she ingested it.

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

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

Ms Matthews died in March 2022 after swallowing the toxic substance in front of staff.

A jury at South Manchester Coroners' Court concluded she died from suicide contributed to by neglect.

The jury's foreman said the hospital had provided "inadequate care of a highly vulnerable patient".

The inquest heard that, three weeks before her death, Ms Matthews had told a nurse "there are things you can purchase to do the job".

Her care plan indicated she should not be allowed to open her own post.

On the day she died she was being supervised by two members of staff.

Ms Matthews was able to get the top off a small plastic container and, despite being restrained, was able to swallow a quantity of powder inside.

She died in hospital later that day.

"Something occurred in a place where she was supposed to be safe that should never have been allowed to happen," her father Chris Matthews said.

BBC News can reveal that four weeks before, on 24 February, Ms Bridges died.

The 20-year-old, who was diagnosed with a form of autism, was also on a secure ward at the time.

Her inquest is due to take place next month.

Beth Matthews, from Cornwall, was a well-known mental health blogger

About a month before, on 23 January 2022, Ms Fitzpatrick died.

The 30-year-old, who was being treated for the effects of alcoholism, was admitted to the hospital after her mental health deteriorated.

Her inquest found she was given inappropriate medication by staff which caused "significant sedation".

This caused her to choke to death in her sleep.

Ms Fitzpatrick's inquest heard that her carers were meant to check on her throughout the night at 15-minute intervals.

But CCTV evidence showed those checks were, in the words of the coroner, "woefully inadequate".

Those failures did not cause her death, however.

"If my daughter didn't go into the Priory, she'd still be alive today," her mother Angela Porter said.

"They killed her. They've got blood on their hands. And I'm not going to let this go until I get justice for my daughter."

Deseree Fitzpatrick died eight weeks before Beth Matthews


The deaths of all three women raise serious questions over the standard of care at the Priory Royal Cheadle.

The Priory Group is one of the biggest providers of private mental health services to the NHS, with 85% of its services publicly funded.

It is the parent company of the private Priory clinic in Roehampton, the London clinic best known for treating celebrities.

A series of scandals at inpatient mental health units in England, both NHS and private, have increased calls for a public inquiry.

Brian Dow, Mental Health UK's chief executive said: "These units are dealing with some of the most vulnerable patients who have the greatest level of need.

"The quality of support has got to be of the absolute highest order.

"I think what too many units do not do is treat those patients like people."

One former patient at the Priory Royal Cheadle has identified staffing shortages and a heavy reliance on short-term agency staff as a problem.

Meredith Movel, who is trying to get the hospital closed down, says she never felt safe there


Meredith Movel, who was undergoing treatment in 2015, said that even back then, it was a problem.

The 22-year-old has since started an online petition to have the hospital closed down.

"The longer it's open, the more people are going to die, basically" she said.

"And I can't have that on my conscience."

A Priory hospital statement said: "We apologise unreservedly for the shortcomings in the care of Deseree Fitzpatrick and Beth Matthews last year, and want to express our sincere condolences to their families and friends.

"We are unable to comment on a further death at Cheadle Royal Hospital until the inquest concludes later this year."

While the deaths were "completely unconnected" all lessons learned from incidents "are shared widely with our staff and reinforced through ward meetings," it added.

"The safety of our patients remains our utmost priority and we immediately took action to address the issues raised in both inquests, and our own robust investigations, and enhanced our procedures."

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

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
UK Prison Officer Sentenced for Inappropriate Conduct with Inmate
Good News: Senate Confirms Kash Patel as FBI Director
Officials from the U.S. and Hungary Engage in Talks on Economic Collaboration and Sanctions Strategy
James Bond Franchise Transitions to Amazon MGM Studios
Technology Giants Ramp Up Lobbying Initiatives Against Strict EU Regulations
Alibaba Exceeds Quarterly Projections Fueled by Growth in Cloud and AI
Tequila Sector Faces Surplus Crisis as Agave Prices Dive Sharply
Residents of Flintshire Mobile Home Park Grapple with Maintenance Issues and Uncertain Future
Ronan Keating Criticizes Irish Justice System Following Fatal Crash Involving His Brother
Gordon Ramsay's Lucky Cat Restaurant Faces Unprecedented Theft
Israeli Family Mourns Loss of Peace Advocate Oded Lifschitz as Body Returned from Gaza
Former UK Defense Chief Calls for Enhanced European Support for Ukraine
Pope Francis Admitted to Hospital in Rome Amid Rising Succession Speculation
Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell, at the age of 83, Declares His Retirement.
Whistleblower Reveals Whitehall’s Focus on Kabul Animal Airlift Amid Crisis
Politicians Who Deliberately Lie Could Face Removal from Office in Wales
Scottish Labour Faces Challenges Ahead of 2026 Holyrood Elections
Leftwing Activists Less Likely to Work with Political Rivals, Study Finds
Boris Johnson to Host 'An Evening with Boris Johnson' at Edinburgh's Usher Hall
Planned Change in British Citizenship Rules Faces First Legal Challenge
Northumberland Postal Worker Sentenced for Sexual Assaults During Deliveries
British Journalist Missing in Brazil for 11 Days
Tesco Fixes Website Glitch That Disrupted Online Grocery Orders
Amnesty International Critiques UK's Predictive Policing Practices
Burglar Jailed After Falling into Home-Made Trap in Blyth
Sellafield Nuclear Site Exits Special Measures for Physical Security Amid Ongoing Cybersecurity Concerns
Avian Influenza Impact on Seals in Norfolk: Four Deaths Confirmed
First Arrest Under Scotland's Abortion Clinic Buffer Zone Law Amidst International Controversy
Meghan Markle Rebrands Lifestyle Venture as 'As Ever' Ahead of Netflix Series Launch
Inter-Island Ferry Services Between Guernsey and Jersey Set to Expand
Significant Proportion of Cancer Patients in England and Wales Not Receiving Recommended Treatments
Final Consultation Launched for Vyrnwy Frankton Power Line Project
Drug Misuse Deaths in Scotland Rise by 12% in 2023
Failed £100 Million Cocaine Smuggling Operation in the Scottish Highlands
Central Cee Equals MOBO Awards Record; Bashy and Ayra Starr Among Top Honorees
EastEnders: Four Decades of Challenging Social Norms
Jonathan Bailey Channels 'Succession' in Bold Richard II Performance
Northern Ireland's First Astronaut Engages in Rigorous Spacewalk Training
Former Postman Sentenced for Series of Sexual Offences in Northumberland
Record Surge in Anti-Muslim Hate Crimes Across the UK in 2024
Omagh Bombing Inquiry Concludes Commemorative Hearings with Survivor Testimonies
UK Government Introduces 'Ronan's Law' to Combat Online Knife Sales to Minors
Metal Detectorists Unearth 15th-Century Coin Hoard in Scottish Borders
Woman Charged in 1978 Death of Five-Year-Old Girl in South London
Expanding Sinkhole in Godstone, Surrey, Forces Evacuations and Road Closures
Bangor University Announces Plans to Cut 200 Jobs Amid £15 Million Savings Target
British Journalist Charlotte Peet Reported Missing in Brazil
UK Inflation Rises to 3% in January Amid Higher Food Prices and School Fees
Starmer Defends Zelensky Amidst Trump's 'Dictator' Allegation
Zelensky Calls on World Leaders to Back Peace Efforts in Light of Strains with Trump
×