
Bournemouth: Teen died after healthcare 'catastrophes', says family
A teenager took his own life after a "catalogue of catastrophes" in his mental healthcare, his family has said.Alec Channing, 18, also known as "Kieran", was found dead in his room at Arts University Bournemouth (AUB) on 27 January 2022.A coroner previously said there were "missed opportunities" by NHS trusts to intervene.The teenager's parents, from Devon, said he was "left to his own devices" despite concerns for his safety.
In a statement, the parents, who asked not to be named, expressed frustration over his mental health treatment from the age of 15.They said: "We were never advised how, as parents, we could help or manage his condition."In September 2021, he began his university course, shortly after making four attempts on his life and being diagnosed with emotionally unstable personality disorder (EUPD), they told the BBC."His care worker was supposed to have referred him to the Bournemouth mental health team but soon after went on long-term sick leave and never came back," they added.
In January 2022, the student was detained in hospital in Devon again under the Mental Health Act.Two weeks later, he returned to Bournemouth where fellow students reported concerns about him to AUB, his parents said.However, an NHS appointment days before his death was cancelled when he caught Covid, leaving him feeling let down, they added.They said: "Although we had suspicions throughout his journey that the healthcare professionals could have done more, we were always trusting and hoping they were doing their best."It was only after the seven-day inquest that the coroner confirmed our doubts that... they could have done better."In a Prevention of Future Deaths Report, coroner Richard Middleton said the cancelled Bournemouth appointment was a "missed opportunity".He said the teenager's care after hospital in January 2022 was not properly planned and university welfare staff had no training in EUPD, otherwise known as Borderline Personality Disorder.Neither the university, Dorset Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust or Devon Partnership NHS Trust offered any comments when approached by the BBC.Specially-built benches in the teenager's memory, paid for by well-wishers, have been placed at a school in Ottery St Mary and in Exminster where he grew up.If you are affected by any of the issues raised in this story, support and advice is available via the BBC Action Line.
You can follow BBC Dorset on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


The Independent
3 hours ago
- The Independent
Chancellor unveils £6bn NHS funding after health-centred spending review
Some £6 billion will be spent on speeding up testing and treatment in the NHS, Rachel Reeves has announced, after she placed the health service at the heart of Government spending plans. The Chancellor unveiled the investment, which includes new scanners, ambulances and urgent treatment centres aimed at providing an extra four million appointments in England over the next five years, after Wednesday's spending review. The funding is aimed at reducing waiting lists and reaching Labour's 'milestone' of ensuring the health service carries out 92% of routine operations within 18 weeks. In the review, Ms Reeves set out day-to-day spending across Government for the next three years, as well as plans for capital investment over the next four years. The NHS and defence were seen as the winners from the settlement, as both will see higher than average rises in public spending. This comes at cost of squeezing the budgets of other Whitehall departments and experts have warned tax rises may be needed later this year. The Chancellor and Sir Keir Starmer both sought to portray the review as a 'new phase' for the Government, following the criticism Labour has faced during its first year in power, including over cuts to winter fuel allowance. Ms Reeves claimed the NHS had been 'put on its knees' as a result of under-investment by the previous government, adding: 'We are investing in Britain's renewal, and we will turn that around.' The new £6 billion investment will come from the capital settlement for the NHS and will also help to speed up diagnoses with scans and treatment available in places such as shopping centres and high streets. The scale of day-to-day spending for the NHS is akin to an extra £29 billion a year. In a broadcast interview on Wednesday evening, Ms Reeves said the Government was 'confident' it could meet its pledge to reduce waiting lists after the boost to NHS spending. But while health and defence have benefited from the review, the Home Office, Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, Department for Culture, Media and Sport, Department for Transport and Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs are all in line for real-terms cuts in day-to-day spending. The Foreign Office is also in line for real-terms cuts, mainly as a result of a reduction in the overseas aid budget, which was slashed as part of the commitment to boost defence spending to 2.6% of gross domestic product – including the intelligence agencies – from 2027. Ms Reeves acknowledged 'not everyone has been able to get exactly what they want' following Cabinet squabbling over departmental budgets. She said 'every penny' of the spending increases had been funded through the tax and borrowing changes she had announced in her first budget. The Chancellor also insisted she would not need to mount another tax raid to pay for her plans, but experts warned the money for the NHS might still not be enough and the Government is under international pressure to boost defence funding further. Paul Johnson, of the Institute for Fiscal Studies, described the hospital waiting times target as 'enormously ambitious', adding: 'And on defence, it's entirely possible that an increase in the Nato spending target will mean that maintaining defence spending at 2.6% of GDP no longer cuts the mustard.' At a summit later this month Nato members will consider calls to increase spending to 3.5% on defence, with a future 1.5% on defence-related measures. Steven Millard, interim director of the NIESR economic research institute, said the Chancellor's non-negotiable fiscal rules, coupled with the 'small amount of headroom' in her spending plans, meant 'it is now almost inevitable that if she is to keep to her fiscal rules, she will have to raise taxes in the autumn budget'. Elsewhere, policing leaders warned forces may need to make deep cuts after their settlement was announced. The spending review provides more than £2 billion for forces, but ministers have acknowledged some of that 'spending power' will come from council tax hikes.


Scottish Sun
3 hours ago
- Scottish Sun
Addiction to ketamine rises eight-fold in a decade as powerful tranquiliser becomes popular with Gen Z
Doctors say heavy use can cause liver disease and permanently damage the bladder and kidneys GENERATION K Addiction to ketamine rises eight-fold in a decade as powerful tranquiliser becomes popular with Gen Z DOCTORS have sounded the alarm over an eight-fold rise in ketamine addiction in a decade. The powerful tranquilliser is popular with Generation Z because of its relatively low cost, experts say. Advertisement 1 Addiction to ketamine has risen eight-fold in a decade, experts have warned Credit: Getty Clinics in England treated 3,609 people of all ages for addiction last year, eight times more than 426 in 2014, figures reveal. Ketamine, also referred to as 'K' or 'Ket', numbs pain and can cause a trippy high. Dealers sell it in powder form for around £20 to £40 a gram compared with £40 to £60 a gram for low-quality cocaine. Doctors say heavy use can cause liver disease and permanently damage the bladder and kidneys. It is linked to constipation, depression and loss of mental sharpness. Advertisement Many medics fail to understand how addictive it can be, an NHS report said. Led by Dr Irene Guerrini of the South London and Maudsley NHS Trust, it called the drug's prevalence 'concerning'. It said: 'As ketamine use increases, more individuals are seeking treatment for addiction. 'Long-term use can seriously harm both physical and mental health, diminishing quality of life, affecting personal relationships and impairing academic or professional performance.' Advertisement Dr Guerrini called for stricter guidelines on how the NHS uses the drug and more funds for treatment and prevention. Ministers are considering uprating 34878330from a Class B to Class A drug.


The Sun
3 hours ago
- The Sun
Addiction to ketamine rises eight-fold in a decade as powerful tranquiliser becomes popular with Gen Z
DOCTORS have sounded the alarm over an eight-fold rise in ketamine addiction in a decade. The powerful tranquilliser is popular with Generation Z because of its relatively low cost, experts say. Clinics in England treated 3,609 people of all ages for addiction last year, eight times more than 426 in 2014, figures reveal. Ketamine, also referred to as 'K' or 'Ket', numbs pain and can cause a trippy high. Dealers sell it in powder form for around £20 to £40 a gram compared with £40 to £60 a gram for low-quality cocaine. Doctors say heavy use can cause liver disease and permanently damage the bladder and kidneys. It is linked to constipation, depression and loss of mental sharpness. Many medics fail to understand how addictive it can be, an NHS report said. Led by Dr Irene Guerrini of the South London and Maudsley NHS Trust, it called the drug's prevalence 'concerning'. It said: 'As ketamine use increases, more individuals are seeking treatment for addiction. 'Long-term use can seriously harm both physical and mental health, diminishing quality of life, affecting personal relationships and impairing academic or professional performance.' Dr Guerrini called for stricter guidelines on how the NHS uses the drug and more funds for treatment and prevention. Ministers are considering uprating 34878330from a Class B to Class A drug.