Support worker's neglect led to girl's tragic death, coroner's court learns
In a heart-wrenching turn of events, a 14-year-old girl named Ruth Szymankiewicz passed away at the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford in February 2022. Her death, due to an incident of self-harm, has sparked an investigation into the care she received at Huntercombe Hospital, a mental health facility in Berkshire.
Ruth was a patient at Huntercombe Hospital, which was run by the Huntercombe Group, now part of Active Care Group. The hospital, previously known as Taplow Manor, was shut down in 2023 following an investigation that uncovered a series of alarming allegations. These included overuse of restraint, inadequate staffing, and poor training, culminating in the hospital's closure.
Ebo Acheampong, one of Ruth's support workers, had used fake documents and had been hired under a false name. Tragically, on the day of Ruth's self-harm incident, Ebo left her alone for 15 minutes without finding a colleague to take over, despite her requiring one-to-one observations. Ebo subsequently fled to Ghana and hasn't been seen since.
Ruth's parents had expressed concerns about sending her to Huntercombe Hospital, as it had received negative CQC inspection reports, particularly regarding safety and leadership. Despite raising repeated concerns about her care on the paediatric intensive care unit, the couple said they weren't listened to, and Ruth's condition deteriorated during her time there.
More than 50 former patients from Huntercombe shared their experiences, painting a picture of a facility struggling with staff shortages, leading to inadequate handover between shifts and poor supervision of vulnerable patients. CCTV footage revealed Ruth unsupervised despite Level 3 observation requirements, contributing to her self-harm and subsequent death.
The hospital was the subject of an investigation by our website and The Independent, which further exposed the severe shortcomings in staffing, training, and patient care at Huntercombe. These shortcomings were central to investigations and media reports, contributing to the hospital's eventual shutdown.
Ruth's mother, in a bid to ensure that her daughter's death wasn't in vain, hoped that the process of unpicking her story might influence the care that other children receive in the future. She described Ruth as someone who "wanted to change the world" and had a "huge heart and deep passion."
The inquest into Ruth's death is expected to last nearly two weeks, providing a platform for further exploration of the circumstances surrounding her tragic death and the systemic issues that may have contributed to it. It is a poignant reminder of the urgent need for improved mental health care, particularly for children and young people.
- The tragic death of Ruth Szymankiewicz, a former patient at Huntercombe Hospital, which was known for its severe shortcomings in staffing, training, and patient care, has underscored the urgent need for improvement in mental health care, particularly for children and young people.
- The investigation into Ruth's death at Huntercombe Hospital, a mental health facility, has revealed that the hospital, previously run by the Huntercombe Group, had issues with poor training, inadequate staffing, and the overuse of restraint, leading to its eventual closure in 2023 and raising concerns about health-and-wellness and mental-health care provision.
