'Bright' girl's death sparked unit's closure

A mental health unit was closed down amid grave safety concerns weeks after the death of a "bright and creative" teenage girl, an inquest has heard.

Lucy Curtis, 17, died at Southmead Hospital on New Year's Day in 2024 after being found unresponsive at Riverside Adolescent Unit at Blackberry Hill Hospital in Bristol on 27 December.

Two weeks after the incident, an internal review by Avon and Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust concluded it could not give assurance the unit could deliver a safe level of care.

At the opening of Lucy's inquest at Avon Coroner's Court on Monday, her father Barry Curtis told jurors, "if love could have saved her, she would have lived forever".

Her family added that Lucy was an "animal lover and a massive Taylor Swift fan", adding she was "bright and creative".

Warning: This story contains distressing details.

Speaking to the jury, coroner Dr Peter Harrowing said Lucy's GP first made a referral to Children and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) on 31 January 2023 when Lucy was aged 16.

She was then an inpatient on a mental health ward at Wessex House, under the care of Somerset NHS Foundation Trust.

The jury heard there was evidence of Lucy self-harming while at Wessex House.

She spent a short time at home before being admitted to the Riverside unit on 12 December 2023.

Lucy continued to self-harm at the Riverside unit and was found unresponsive on 27 December, the inquest was told.

She was taken to Southmead Hospital, where she died on 1 January 2024.

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Barry told jurors that it is impossible to find words that do justice to what an amazing person Lucy was.

"So kind and generous, and would do anything to help others.

"Lucy was a very talented artist, often painting.

"Loved performing arts, performed at [Bristol] Hippodrome and West End. A music lover, a big fan of Harry Styles," he told the inquest.

He added that Lucy was a massive Swifty, and had tickets to see her perform, but devastatingly never got to go.

"On 23 February, she went to New York to go to Taylor Swift's hanging out places.

"On New Year's Day 2024 our world fell apart and Lucy passed away.

"Seventeen years was nowhere near enough time. We miss her and the countless small moments that make her who she was," he said.

After her death Barry walked to the highest point of every county in England and Wales in memory of her for charity.

The inquest will look at the circumstances of Lucy's death, including the response to referrals to CAMHS and information sharing between community services.

It will also examine the care provided to Lucy at the Riverside unit.

The trust has been approached for comment.

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