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Lauren Ellis has been let down once again, according to her mother.
Guernsey's Royal Court has acquitted two former mental health nurses, who were accused of causing her death by Manslaughter through Gross Negligence.
Both of the nurses admitted they had failed to do their job properly when caring for Ms Ellis, but by a majority of 7-2 the Jurats found there was not enough proof that they knowingly and grossly did their job badly enough to directly lead to her death.
Either way, Lauren did die while a patient on Crevichon ward, using a bandage she had been given at the Emergency Deparment to ligature herself.
Pictured: Lauren Ellis died on the 12 October 2017 on the Crevichon Ward.
Dawn Ellis, Lauren's mother, said her daughter had been let down by the mental health services, and had now been let down by the Courts as well.
"Her voice won't go quiet though," Mrs Ellis continued.
"Her diagnosis [of emotionally unstable personality disorder] is not understood on this island - they admitted as much in Court - yet there are a lot of patients who have it."
Mrs Ellis also felt that the nurses who were meant to be caring for her daughter had 'got away' with no consequences for their actions.
"They got to leave the Court smiling, and we didn't even get as much as a sorry.
"I have lost my daughter. Lauren had a big character and that has been taken away.
"We also don't feel like HSC's statement which I have just listened to counts as a proper apology. We heard in court that there were just loads of errors leading up to Lauren's death. They didn't see her as a person, just as another number."
Following the conclusion of the case, HSC issued a full statement about their stance. They expressed their deepest sympathy to the Ellis family. The full statement is copied below:
"Today the Royal Court has delivered its verdict in the case against Naomi Prestidge and Rory McDermott in which they were accused of gross-negligence manslaughter following the death of 22 year old Lauren Ellis in October 2017. Our first thoughts are of course with the family and friends of Ms Ellis. We can only imagine how very painful a time this has been for them.
"Guernsey’s mental health service has been discussed at some length during this hearing, but it is not the service that has been on trial and the service has not had a voice in the proceedings. While at times this has been frustrating and Health & Social Care (HSC) would dispute many of the claims made by the defence, our priority now is to ensure Islanders continue to feel they can have confidence in the service and the high standard of care provided by our dedicated, professional and hard-working staff.
"Soon after the tragic death of Ms Ellis in 2017, internal and external investigations were carried out to identify any areas where improvements could be made. These reports foundGuernsey’s mental health service is of a good standard but also highlighted areas for improvement and HSC has already acted on many of the recommendations.
"HSC is continuously looking at how to improve its service and ensure best practice. As part of that ongoing process, we have worked with the charity Guernsey MIND who have carried outtheirownsurveyandwillbereleasingtheirfindingssoon. Wewillwelcomeany recommendations for further enhancements. In addition, as part of our budget submission for 2020, we are requesting funding for, amongst other things, the development of a community mental health and wellbeing centre which was announced earlier this year.
"We will always continually evaluate our services and strive to provide the best possible care for our community.
"Deputy Heidi Soulsby, President of the Committee for Health & Social Care said: ‘The deathof Ms Ellis is heart-breaking and I want to extend my deepest condolences to her family.
"I must also say that this trial has been exceptionally difficult for those who work across mental health services. These professionals and support workers are dedicated to caring for the most vulnerable within our community who regrettably have a mental illness, personality disorder or other complex need. They do an incredibly hard job and I think it is important this is recognised.’
"Chief Nurse Professor Juliet Beal said ‘As a nurse of 37 years, I know how deeply mycolleagues and I care about our patients and how seriously we take our responsibilities, as required by the Nursing and Midwifery Council’s professional Code. This exceptional case has been deeply shocking and upsetting. My thoughts are, first and foremost, with the family of Ms Ellis, but also with the staff working now at our mental health service, striving each day to provide the best possible care. I know how proud they are of their service and it is important that this case does not take away from the good work they do on a daily basis.’
"We have been providing support to staff closely involved with this case and are contacting staff more widely to ensure they know how they can access any support they need. HSC have set up a dedicated and confidential helpline for anyone who is concerned about their care. The helpline will be available from 9am-4pm on the following number 01481 707392.
"Ms Prestidge and Mr McDermott no longer work for Health & Social Care."
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