Mum has to watch suicidal daughter all day and night - but says crisis teams won't help

Kate Powell says the situation is 'dire' and 'horrific' and that her child is at 'rock bottom'

A mum who has to watch her suicidal daughter for 24 hours a day because she can't get her transferred to a mental health unit says the situation is "at crisis point". Kate Powell, from Top Valley, is solely responsible for her 14-year-old daughter's welfare - but only because she says authorities are "dismissive" towards her case.

Ms Powell's daughter has been known to the Child & Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) sector of Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust since 2020. But she's only visited by them for one hour per week - and when her support worker was signed off sick, she was left with no professional support for five months.

Ms Powell said: "It's becoming increasingly difficult. I can't leave her alone in the day or at night and that's not sustainable in a home environment. I believe the best and the safest place for her at this moment in time is in a secure unit. I'm not quite sure how bad you have to be to get access to that. We're in a dire situation right now. It's horrific. It's at crisis point. I'm not sure why they cant see that."

Ms Powell first visited the GP with her daughter, who we have chosen not to name, in 2020, when the then-10-year-old was appearing to lose weight rapidly. Initially thinking it was a physical issue, it was later diagnosed as being as a result of mental health issues including emetophobia - a fear of vomiting - and OCD.

She was referred to CAMHS by her GP and paediatrician - but, because of Covid-19 lockdowns, cognitive behavioural therapy was done over Zoom calls. Ms Powell says this was an ineffective method.

Eventually, after a brief number of meetings with a psychologist and some with a psychiatrist, a support worker from CAMHS began to visit on a weekly basis to check the teenager's blood pressure, heart rate and mood. Ms Powell's daughter stabilised.

But in February, the worker signed off sick. Ms Powell expected a replacement to be sought, but none was.

In the time that went by, her daughter stopped being seen by professional carers. Ms Powell says that in this time, the teenager began to decline rapidly, losing around 10kgs in weight and becoming more reclusive, eventually refusing to leave the house.

Throughout the period, which lasted five months, Ms Powell says she continued to ask for someone to come and check on her daughter, but says that this request was never heeded. All that she was provided instead was a "safety plan" for how to care for her herself.

The plan included instructions to remove all sharps and knives, medication and anything that could be used as ligature out of the family home.

There were times when her daugher was in such a dire state that she resorted to ringing an ambulance or the CAMHS out-of-hours crisis team. But she says responses from anyone she was seen by felt inadequate.

On one occasion, when her daughter was refusing to eat and drink, Ms Powell says she contacted the crisis team but that they refused to come out, and she was instead told to ring 111. She says the 111 operator asked whether a doctor could wait until the next day, to which she said no, and that a GP was eventually sent to see the teen.

This doctor then decided to ring the crisis team themselves to request a visit, but Ms Powell claims they again said they could not make a visit. Instead, an ambulance was called and she was taken to hospital with a resting heart rate of 170.

Ms Powell lists other "failings", in her view, including CAMHS not actioning a request for her daughter to be investigated for neurodivergence and autistic spectrum disorder, and being refused entry to a meeting between CAMHS staff and other professionals to discuss her daughter's health - which she has also never heard the minutes from, despite asking multiple times.

Ms Powell also says her daughter is a suicide risk. She said: "It's as bad as it can get to be quite honest. I have a child who's openly said she doesn't want to live anymore. She's at rock bottom. I want her kept safe. Here, that's a very difficult task."

Becky Sutton, Chief Operating Officer at Nottinghamshire Healthcare said: “We take all concerns raised very seriously and aim to work closely with patients and their families in planning their care and treatment, and always welcome feedback on how this could be improved.

"We are unable to comment on individual cases, but we would encourage any parent with concerns to make contact directly with CAMHS or contact our patient advice and liaison service (PALS), so that we can address any issues promptly. Our PALS team can be contacted at PALSandComplaints@nottshc.nhs.uk.”