Teenager with mental health problems sent to live more than 100 miles from her family - because there's no facility for her in Wales
A family has spoken of their heartache as their teenage daughter has
been sent to live more than 100 miles away to be treated for mental
health problems – as there is no suitable facility in Wales. Chloe Jones is one of 27 children who have been placed outside of Wales for mental health treatment in the past two years. The
16-year-old is currently being treated at the high dependency unit at
Huntercombe Hospital in Maidenhead after her family were told that their
nearest facility – Ty Llidiard near Bridgend – was unable to cope with
her. The English hospital is 125 miles away from the family’s home
in Cardiff, and her parents Debbi and Anthony don’t own a car so have
to rely on the kindness of friends and family to give them a lift to
Berkshire . Chloe, from Ely, began experiencing mental health
problems at the age of 13, and in the past three years her symptoms have
escalated so much tht her parents had to take her to the University
Hospital of Wales’ A&E several times. The teenager was diagnosed with severe depression and psychosis which spiralled out of control when she joined secondary school. In
June, Chloe was transferred to Ty Llidiard after cutting her wrists at
school but two weeks later she was transferred to Huntercombe Hospital
where she stayed for nine weeks. Her mum, Debbi, 41, told
WalesOnline about the family’s continual struggle to keep Chloe safe and
to try and get her the best treatment possible. “She went from a happy-go-lucky child to being so withdrawn,” said Debbi, a housewife. “I was getting phonecalls to come and get her from school. “The
self harming started with scratching, constant scratching. The school
helped as much as they could and Chloe was seeing a counsellor at St
David’s Hospital in Cardiff, but she needed more intense treatment
rather than a counselling session every couple of weeks.” In the
past year, Debbi and Anthony have taken Chloe to A&E around five
times, even requiring a police escort on two occasions. “At the
hospital Chloe would just be asked if she was calm and wanted to return
home,” added Debbi. “It was just putting a bandage on the situation. “I didn’t feel safe having her home and we were trying everything we could to help her. “We
stayed over at Ty Llidiard, but she had to be moved after the staff
said they couldn’t restrain her when she was having one of her episodes. “She
hears voices and she also self-harms by banging her head to try and get
rid of the voices. They told me it took 10 people to hold her down, How
can that be possible? She’s a 16 year-old girl. At one point she’s been
on three types of sedatives.” Chloe's parents Debbie and Anthony
Chloe was back home and settled during October, but after
celebrating her 16th birthday last month she was taken back to Ty
Llidiard before being moved onto Huntercombe on November 22 – and since
then dad Anthony hasn't been able to visit Chloe while her mum hasn't
seen her for two weeks. Both will be visiting their daughter today, but fear they will not be able to afford another trip for Christmas. “Our family has been ripped apart and Chloe doesn’t know if she’s coming or going,” said Debbi. “It
costs money for teenagers like Chloe to be sent to England for
treatment, why can’t they use that money to get the right treatment for
her in Wales? This will happen again and again to other families.” Debbi
and Anthony, a swimming pool worker, are unable to claim travel
expenses to visit their daughter and whereas at Bridgend there are
facilities for families to stay with their children, there are none at
Huntercombe so the couple must also fork out for an hotel. A
spokeswoman from the mental health charity for young people, Young
Minds, said sending Chloe away from her family could be making her
condition worse. “You should take what the child wants into
account,” she said. “Chloe wants her parents one minute, then her space
the next. Her condition is being exacerbated by the fact that she is
placed far away from home.” The boss of Welsh mental health
charity Hafal said the provision of mental health services for young
people in Wales was “worrying.” Chief executive Bill Walden-Jones
said: “The overwhelming majority of first episodes of psychosis will
occur among young people between the ages of 16 and 30. “The Royal
College of Psychiatrists highlights that the earlier the disorder is
treated, the greater the chance of a successful recovery. “If left
untreated, there is greater disruption to the person’s family,
friendships, study and work and an increase in the incidence of
unemployment, depression, substance abuse, criminal activity and
self-injury. “At Hafal we have long recognised the problem of insufficient services for young people in this situation.” Dr
Paul Davies, assistant director of operations (mental health) at Cwm
Taf Health Board says there are not enough young people in Wales
suffering with specific mental health issues to require a local
specialist unit. He said: “Ty Llidiard provides inpatient care for
children and young people up to their 18th birthday who have a range of
mental health problems. “It provides 24/7 care to a level where general mental health problems can be successfully treated. “However,
there will be some occasions when a minority of children and young
people, who have highly complex mental health conditions, require a
specific treatment programme that can only be offered in a specialist
unit. “Because the number of young people suffering from these
complex conditions is not high, there are only a small number of units
providing this level of intensive care within the UK.” The Welsh
Government said the Health Minister had met with Chloe and her mother
and was “sympathetic” to their situation and said it was rare. A spokesman said: “Almost every child in Wales who needs mental health treatment receives it in Wales. “In
rare and exceptionally complex cases, doctors may decide that it is in
the best interests of the child to be treated in a facility where their
particular needs can be met. “Figures provided by The Welsh
Health Specialised Services Committee, who fund out of area placements
on behalf of the LHBs, suggest that for 2012/13 only a total of 27
children, for all mental health conditions from across the whole of the
country, were placed outside of Wales for a variable length of time.” Children’s Commissioner for Wales Keith Towler said the case was “regrettable.” “The
best interests of the child or young person should be at the centre of
the decision-making process and that out-of-area placements should be
considered as the last resort,” he added. “Whilst appreciating the
limitations, ideally children and young people should be treated as
close to home as possible in order that they are able to maintain their
right to family life whilst accessing the specialised treatment they
need. It is regrettable that this is not yet the case in Wales.”
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