Mother blames scandal-hit hospital for daughter’s death after eating disorder struggles

Your support helps us to tell the story

Support Now

Find out moreClose

As your White House correspondent, I ask the tough questions and seek the answers that matter.

Your support enables me to be in the room, pressing for transparency and accountability. Without your contributions, we wouldn't have the resources to challenge those in power.

Your donation makes it possible for us to keep doing this important work, keeping you informed every step of the way to the November election

Andrew Feinberg

White House Correspondent

A young woman “traumatised” by a stay in scandal-hit hospital as a teenager died after trying to hang herself years later, an inquest heard.

Melissa Parrish was admitted to Huntercombe Hospital in Maidenhead in 2009 for an eating disorder when she was 15 years old, but the experience left her terrified of being admitted to hospital.

In 2018, aged 24, she was admitted to Vincent Square Eating Disorder Service (VSEDS), run by Central North West London Foundation Trust after struggling with her mental health. Four hours later she tried to take her own life, a failed attempt left Melissa in a vegetative state for three years until she died of pneumonia in July 2021.

The inquest held this week was not directed to examine her stay at the Huntercombe Group and did not link her death with the 2009 admission.

However Melissa’s mother Melanie told The Independent after the jury returned its verdict on Thursday she thought her 18 month experience at Huntercombe Group had “destroyed” her daughter.

“She got trapped,” Ms Parrish explained. “We saw how Melissa disappeared. She stopped having a relationship with us. She started self-harming and when she was told it would be longer than 12 weeks she just died. She stopped eating…she was just traumatised.”

Eventually, NHS commissioners advised discharging the 15-year-old as she was not improving. Her mother recalls her daughter later saying: “Huntercombe did something to me.

“She was destroyed as a human being she wouldn’t engage with any treatment because she was so afraid of going back to hospital,” her mother continued. “I have a huge amount of anger towards [Maidenhead], and I see no reason they had to destroy the trust in her parents because that left her with no one.

“She was so traumatised that she was physically and mentally unable to accept help... They [Huntercombe Group] destroyed her relationship with other care providers, they turned her into a frightened lonely woman.”

The Huntercombe Group Maidenhead Hospital, now Taplow Manor, was at the centre of a scandal uncovered by The Independent and Sky News, which led to dozens of patients coming forward with allegations of abuse. The hospital is now closed but its owners and former owners face more than 50 clinical negligence claims, including claims of causing post-traumatic stress disorder.

Although the remit of the inquest was not to examine Melissa’s care before 2021, doctors who assessed her before her death gave evidence noting she was terrified of hospital admission.

One doctor’s notes recorded that they believed “the terror of being admitted, which arose from a past admission, increased the risk [of harm]”.

After being discharged from The Huntercombe Group hospital Melissa continued to struggle with her eating disorder.

In 2018, her mental health became so bad again that she was admitted to VSEDS in west London. Her family left the unit but hours later Melissa was found having attempted to hang herself using a ligature point previously been identified as a risk.

On Thursday, the jury at Inner West London Coroner’s Court ruled that Melissa died due to “misadventure”, following an attempt at “self hanging”, to which her eating disorder contributed.

The inquest ruled the ligature point in her room should have been identified and that the failure to do so was a probable cause of death.

Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust – of which NHS England’s national mental health director, Claire Murdoch, is chief executive – said in a statement: “Melissa’s death was extremely sad and we send our deepest condolences to her family and loved ones. We are sorry for any mistakes that were made and opportunities missed whilst Melissa was under NHS care.

“We have previously reached out to Melissa’s family to discuss what happened and how we can learn from it. Now the inquest has concluded we will follow up and offer to meet again.”

Elli Investments Group, previous owners of The Huntercombe Group, said in a statement: “Our thoughts are with Miss Parrish’s family. The hospital was owned and managed by The Huntercombe Group, and its specialist care services and its management team transferred to new owners in 2021.”

Claire Murdoch, NHS National Director for mental health, said: “Our thoughts and sympathies remain with the loved ones of Melissa Parrish.

“The NHS has repeatedly made clear that all services must provide safe, high-quality care and deliver on the commitments in their contracts, irrespective of whether they are NHS or independent sector led.”

She said the health service has worked hard to transform community mental health services but the NHS knows more needs to be done and has asked all mental health wards to implement new standards to ensure care is therapeutic and close to home.

This story was updated with a response from NHS England at 16:27.

If you are experiencing feelings of distress, or are struggling to cope, you can speak to the Samaritans, in confidence, on 116 123 (UK and ROI), email jo@samaritans.org, or visit the Samaritans website to find details of your nearest branch.