Potton man 'proud' his men's support group is expanding
The community interest company has grown steadily since it started nearly six years ago. It now holds peer support services across Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire, including in Biggleswade, Potton, Sandy, Gamlingay, Hitchin and St Neots.Meetings have also been set up in Aldershot, Hampshire and Stockport, Cheshire.New afternoon and evening meetings will be held at The Wingfield Club in Ampthill and The Cornerstone in Shefford, while Chic Celebrations in Flitwick will hold morning and evening sessions. The money will also support existing Biggleswade meetings.Mr Newman said the group offered "a safe, non-judgemental environment where men experiencing anxiety, depression, grief and other mental health challenges can share and connect with others who understand". They are held in person, at walking and fishing meetings, and online.
He said its mission was "to reduce the stigma around men's mental health by offering spaces where men feel encouraged to talk"."The expansion reflects both a growing demand and a growing awareness that talking openly about mental health is vital to recovery and wellbeing."We're incredibly proud to be expanding our reach across Bedfordshire. It means we can connect with more men who may be struggling in silence."He said the sessions were about "community, understanding and giving men the chance to open up without judgement".
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Times
7 hours ago
- Times
Teenage girl left alone on mental health ward was killed unlawfully
A coroner and jurors had tears in their eyes as they ruled that a teenage girl was killed unlawfully after she was left alone on a mental health ward by an agency worker using a fake name on his first shift. Ruth Szymankiewicz, 14, was meant to be under strict observation at the psychiatric intensive care unit of Huntercombe Hospital in Berkshire while being treated for a severe eating disorder when she was left on her own by the worker on February 12, 2022. The inquest had heard that the agency worker, who went by the name of Ebo Acheampong, had applied for the role under a false name and had never worked in a psychiatric hospital, the police later discovered. He never returned to work after the teenager's death and fled the UK for Ghana. Ian Wade KC, the coroner, and the jurors were clearly upset when they delivered the conclusion of unlawful killing at the inquest at Buckinghamshire coroner's court in Beaconsfield. Addressing Ruth's parents, Mark and Kate Szymankiewicz, Wade said with tears in his eyes: 'I hope you will treasure all the good memories of your lovely daughter.' The inquest had been told that she shut herself in her bedroom, where she self-harmed. She died two days later at John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford. Jurors were told that the ward was missing at least half of its staff on the day Ruth was left unsupervised. Acheampong was asked to join the intensive care psychiatrist team because they were so short-staffed that nurses could not go on breaks. Michelle Hancey, a support worker with 18 years' experience at Huntercombe, raised concerns that day that the team would 'fail to monitor patients on prescribed special observation because of staff shortage'. Acheampong was assigned to watch over Ruth on his first shift at the hospital. He repeatedly left the girl alone while she was watching TV, one time for a couple of minutes, which prompted her to walk alone to her bedroom. She had been on an observation plan which meant that she had to be kept within eyesight at all times after earlier incidents of self-harm. About 15 minutes passed before a nurse discovered the teenage girl and raised the alarm. 'Ruth was not prevented from accessing the restricted material which could be used to self-harm,' the jury foreman told the hearing. 'Ruth was not prevented from accessing harmful material on the internet. Ruth's care pathway … was insufficient to allow improvement for discharge. 'From Ruth's admission to Thames ward, her responsible clinician deemed the ward to be neither suitable nor conducive to her recovery. Ruth's parents were not given adequate information about the appeal process, and refusal rights.' Ruth's parents, who are both doctors, read an emotional statement outside the court after the verdict. They said: 'There is an empty space at our table, a silent bedroom in our home, a gaping hole in our family that will never be filled … Ruth was an incredible, bright, friendly, loving and adventurous girl with a whole life of joy ahead of her. 'When, at our most vulnerable as a family, we reached out for help, we ultimately found ourselves trapped in a system that was meant to care for her, to help her, to keep her safe, but instead locked her away and harmed her.' Huntercombe Hospital was rated 'overall inadequate' by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) in February 2021, and has since been closed.
The Independent
8 hours ago
- The Independent
‘Systemic failures' led to unlawful death of girl at mental health unit
The parents of a teenage girl who died after being left alone at a children's mental health ward by an agency worker using a fake ID have said 'systemic failures' led to her unlawful death. Ruth Szymankiewicz was being treated for an eating disorder at Huntercombe Hospital in Berkshire and had been placed under strict one-to-one observation when on February 12 2022, she was left on her own by the member of staff responsible for watching her. The 14-year-old was able to shut herself in her bedroom at the hospital's psychiatric intensive care unit – also known as Thames ward – where she self-harmed. She died two days later at John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford. On Thursday, an inquest jury sitting at Buckinghamshire Coroner's Court in Beaconsfield returned a conclusion of unlawful killing. Speaking outside the court after the hearing, Mark and Kate Szymankiewicz said: 'When, at our most vulnerable as a family, we reached out for help; we ultimately found ourselves trapped in a system that was meant to care for her, to help her, to keep her safe, but instead locked her away and harmed her. 'Having been detained in a unit she should never have been sent to, Ruth was repeatedly denied access to the love and support of her family. 'We were excluded and completely disempowered. She was isolated, scared and alone.' Mark, a consultant surgeon, and Kate, a GP, added: 'Over the last two weeks, we have heard about the numerous systemic failures at Huntercombe Hospital. 'Ruth was our daughter. But she could just as easily be your child, your niece or nephew, your grandchild. 'We hope that by sharing her story it can help inform the change needed in children's mental health services.' During the conclusion hearing on Thursday, the jury foreman told the court: 'Ruth was not prevented from accessing the restricted material which could be used to self-harm.' 'Ruth was not prevented from accessing harmful material on the internet. 'Ruth's care pathway… was insufficient to allow improvement for discharge. 'From Ruth's admission to Thames ward, her responsible clinician deemed the ward to be neither suitable nor conducive to her recovery. 'Ruth's parents were not given adequate information about the appeal process, and refusal rights.' Jurors could be seen crying as they recorded their conclusion, as well as the coroner and members of the family. The agency worker responsible for watching Ruth – a man then known as Ebo Acheampong – had never worked in a psychiatric hospital environment before coming to Huntercombe on February 12 2022 for his first shift. A police investigation later found he was hired by the Platinum agency – which supplied staff for Huntercombe Hospital – under a false name. Mr Acheampong never returned to work at the hospital following the incident and fled the UK for Ghana. The court heard the ward was missing at least half of its staff on the day Ruth, who had self harmed several times in the past, was left unsupervised. Mr Acheampong was originally working on a different ward, but was asked to join the team on Thames ward because they were so short-staffed nurses could not go on breaks, jurors were previously told. A risk management form known as a 'Datix incident' had been filed on the day by Michelle Hancey – a support worker with 18 years' experience at Huntercombe – who raised concerns the Thames ward team would 'fail to monitor patients on prescribed special observation because of staff shortage'. During the inquest, jurors were shown CCTV footage of the moment Mr Acheampong left Ruth unsupervised while she sat in the ward's lounge watching TV, enabling her to leave the room. She had been placed on the 'level three observation' plan following earlier incidents of self-harm – meaning she had to be kept within eyesight at all times. In the footage, Mr Acheampong can be seen leaving the room repeatedly – at first only for seconds at a time, then for two minutes – prompting the teenager to walk up to the door and look into the lobby, seemingly waiting for the opportunity to leave the room. She was last captured on CCTV walking out of the ward's day room 'completely on her own' before going straight to her bedroom and closing the door behind her, coroner Ian Wade KC told the inquest. Around 15 minutes passed before a nurse discovered the teenage girl and raised the alarm. Huntercombe Hospital had been inspected twice by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) prior to the incident, the inquest previously heard. It was rated as 'overall inadequate' in a CQC report dated February 2021. Active Care Group, which owned Huntercombe at the time of Ruth's death, has since closed the facility. Following the inquest, a spokesperson said: 'We extend our heartfelt condolences to Ruth's family, friends, and all those affected by her passing. 'We deeply regret the tragic event that occurred, and we are truly sorry for the distress this has caused and recognise the profound impact it has had on everyone who knew her. 'In recent years, we have made significant improvements to the quality and safety in all of our services. 'We remain fully committed to working closely with our teams across the country to ensure consistently high standards of care for the individuals we support. 'We are dedicated to learning any further lessons through both this inquest process and others from across the NHS and Independent sector with the aim of preventing any future tragic incidents.'
Telegraph
9 hours ago
- Telegraph
Girl left alone at hospital by care worker using false name ‘unlawfully killed'
The death of a teenage girl who was left alone at a children's mental health ward by an agency worker using fake ID has been ruled an unlawful killing by an inquest jury. Ruth Szymankiewicz was being treated for an eating disorder at Huntercombe Hospital, Berkshire, and had been placed under strict one-to-one observation when, on Feb 12 2022, she was left on her own by the member of staff responsible for watching her. The 14-year-old was able to shut herself in her bedroom at the hospital's psychiatric intensive care unit, also known as the Thames ward, where she self-harmed. She died at John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford two days later. On Thursday, an inquest jury sitting at coroner's court in Beaconsfield, Bucks, returned a conclusion of unlawful killing. The agency worker responsible for watching Ruth – a man then known as Ebo Acheampong – had never worked in a psychiatric hospital environment before coming to Huntercombe on Feb 12 2022 for his first shift. Carer left UK for Ghana A police investigation later found he was hired by the Platinum agency – which supplied staff for the hospital – under a false name. Mr Acheampong never returned to work at the hospital following the incident and left the UK for Ghana. The court heard the ward was missing at least half of its staff on the day the girl, who had self-harmed several times in the past, was left unsupervised. Mr Acheampong was originally working on a different ward, but was asked to join the team on Thames ward because they were so short-staffed that nurses could not go on breaks, jurors were previously told. A risk management form known as a Datix incident had been filed on the day by Michelle Hancey – a support worker with 18 years of experience at Huntercombe – who raised concerns that the Thames ward team would 'fail to monitor patients on prescribed special observation because of staff shortage'. During the inquest, jurors were shown CCTV footage of the moment Mr Acheampong left Ruth unsupervised while she sat in the ward's lounge watching TV, enabling her to leave the room. 'Completely on her own' She had been placed on the 'level three observation' plan following earlier incidents of self-harm, meaning she had to be kept within eyesight at all times. In the footage, Mr Acheampong can be seen leaving the room repeatedly – at first only for seconds at a time, then for two minutes – prompting the teenager to walk up to the door and look into the lobby, seemingly waiting for the opportunity to leave the room. She was last captured on CCTV walking out of the ward's day room 'completely on her own' before going to her bedroom and closing the door behind her, coroner Ian Wade KC told the inquest. Around 15 minutes passed before a nurse discovered the girl and raised the alarm. Huntercombe had been inspected twice by the Care Quality Commission prior to the incident, the inquest previously heard. It was rated as 'overall inadequate' in a CQC report dated February 2021. Active Care Group, which owned Huntercombe at the time of the girl's death, has since closed the facility.
