‘My autistic son had no safety net when in crisis’

Declan Morrison’s father stated the 26-year-old had loved listening to birdsong at twilight

Family handout Declan Morrison holding the hand of someone who is not in shot. He is wearing a royal blue T-shirt and is smiling animatedly at the person holding his hand to the right of shot. He has dark brown hair and dark eyes. — Declan Morrison’s father stated the 26-year-old had loved listening to birdsong at twilight

The household of a person who died after he repeatedly banged his head in opposition to a wall in a psychological well being suite stated there was no “security web” for individuals with their son’s wants.

Declan Morrison, 26, from Cambridge, was autistic, had extreme studying disabilities and a focus deficit hyperactivity dysfunction.

Within the hours earlier than his loss of life, he was left bare in a room with CCTV cameras, however his household stated the alarm was solely raised after he was discovered unresponsive by employees.

His dad and mom, Graeme and Sam Morrison, at the moment are calling for solutions about what went improper with their son’s care.

Mrs Morrison stated: “He was left to his personal gadgets in a surrounding that he could not perceive, with no stimuli, vivid lights and naked partitions.”

In March 2022, Declan spent 10 days within the Part 136 psychological well being evaluation suite, as there have been no beds out there throughout the UK.

However he couldn’t address the austere, medical atmosphere which, below the Psychological Well being Act, ought to be used for a most of 24 hours.

The suite was described by coroner Simon Milburn as “wholly inappropriate” for Declan’s wants.

Declan’s household stated his autism meant he had had little idea of hazard

Steve Hubbard/BBC Declan's sister Kaitlyn, mother Sam and father Graeme, standing together in front of trees shedding their leaves. Kaitlyn is in her 30s and is wearing a red jumper, while Declan's mother is wearing a patterned green top and has blue rimmed glasses. His father has grey hair, glasses and a light beard and is wearing a black rain jacket, a purple shirt and grey suit trousers. They are looking at the camera seriously. — Declan’s household stated his autism meant he had had little idea of hazard

Mr Morrison believed the choice to depend on CCTV and never work together with Declan may need “exacerbated the state of affairs”.

The coroner stated employees within the facility had not been appropriately educated to take care of sufferers with studying disabilities.

Mrs Morrison stated she solely discovered one thing was improper with Declan on 18 March 2022 when he was within the ambulance.

“To seek out out truly your son now wants a mind operation to dwell – it was horrifying,” she stated.

Declan underwent emergency surgical procedure however by no means recovered. He died on 2 April 2022.

Declan’s household stated he had loved automobile journeys and could be excited when his father confirmed him the keys

Family handout Declan Morrison during a car journey, lying on the lap of his sister Kaitlyn. She is stroking his shoulder and his hair with her other hand. She is looking at him lovingly. Kaitlyn has bobbed brown hair and her seatbelt on and is wearing a blue t shirt with gold writing on it. Declan has a checked, short sleeved shirt on. — Declan’s household stated he had loved automobile journeys and could be excited when his father confirmed him the keys

From 2014 to 2021, Declan lived in Sunndach Home close to Peterborough, run by Kisimul, an organization owned by a Luxembourg-based funding fund.

In 2019, following a evaluation of Declan’s wants, it was concluded the ability may now not present the suitable degree of care to guard him.

But in 2021 Declan was nonetheless residing in Sunndach Home.

Declan’s household stated his behaviour had worsened after a few of his carers left to work at a close-by Amazon warehouse for an additional 50p an hour.

“One thing so simple as 50p is making a distinction, and it is affecting our youngsters,” Mrs Morrison stated.

Sixty-seven amenities throughout the UK have been approached to take care of Declan, however none have been in a position to provide him a placement

On the identical time Declan was struggling to know the lack of acquainted carers, his household stated his remedy was additionally modified.

In proof given by an unbiased psychiatrist at his inquest in October, the jury heard how unwanted side effects to the brand new medicine may have made his behaviour worse.

Earlier than the pandemic, Declan went on numerous journeys in a minibus together with his carers at Sunndach Home

Family handout Declan running about near the seafront in Skegness. He is wearing a blue tracksuit and black trainers. A Ferris wheel and funfair in the background — Earlier than the pandemic, Declan went on numerous journeys in a minibus together with his carers at Sunndach Home

In Might 2021, Declan was moved to Yewdale Farm in Willingham, Cambridgeshire, a residential care dwelling run by CareTech Group Companies.

A safeguarding report entitled One thing has to Change, which was compiled by the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Safeguarding Partnership after Declan’s loss of life, famous there was a excessive degree of company employees caring for him.

But his father stated Declan had “spent most of his time on his personal as they [staff] could not work together with him.”

CareTech stated when Declan had been “responsive” to employees’s engagement, they’d instantly help him. If he didn’t need to work together, employees would sit in an adjoining room and observe him by a window.

At Yewdale Farm Declan had jumped over fences and assaulted a employees member.

In February 2022, CareTech stated that it may now not meet Declan’s wants and he wanted medical care.

Sixty-seven amenities throughout the UK have been approached to take care of Declan, however none have been in a position to provide him a placement, in response to the household’s lawyer.

In a letter to the government and the NHS, the coroner stated: “Demand for such placements outstrips provide – suppliers are successfully in a position to ‘choose and select’ who they provide placements to.”

“It appears improper {that a} care supplier can, at a drop of a hat, take away care, as a result of there is definitely no security web behind that, as a result of it is simply not supplied for by native authorities,” Mr Morrison stated.

“It could possibly’t simply be so simple as ‘we won’t maintain your son or daughter secure’.”

Caretech stated it didn’t “choose and select” its residents.

Declan liked mendacity on basket swings and being pushed by his household and carers

Family handout Declan Morrison sitting on a large netted, basket style swing. He is mid swing and is looking at the camera. He is wearing a black T-shirt and blue jeans. He has both of his hands by his side — Declan liked mendacity on basket swings and being pushed by his household and carers

In March 2022 Declan suffered an episode of heightened nervousness and he was detained by law enforcement officials below the Psychological Well being Act.

He was taken to an emergency “place of security”, referred to as Part 136 suite, on the positioning of Fulbourn Hospital in Cambridgeshire.

The suite is designed for sufferers awaiting a psychological well being evaluation. Declan stayed there for 10 days as a substitute of the stipulated 24 hours.

Declan’s dad and mom have been in Aberdeen on the time however his father stated they’d been advised he was “doing high quality”.

‘Repeatedly hit his head’

Steve Hubbard/BBC Saoirse Kerrigan is wearing a dark blue coat and a grey T-shirt. She has light pink coloured almost transparent glasses and has short bobbed mousey blonde hair. She is looking at the camera and is photographed outside. — The household’s solicitor, Saoirse Kerrigan, stated Declan repeatedly hit his head in opposition to the partitions and ground whereas in disaster

Saoirse Kerrigan, the household’s solicitor, stated Declan had begun “bouncing off the partitions”, which resulted in a catastrophic mind harm.

Ms Kerrigan, from legislation agency Leigh Day, stated: “These accidents have been sustained whereas Declan was being monitored by eight CCTV cameras and below 24-hour commentary by nursing employees positioned throughout the web site.”

She added he had been “rising more and more agitated and repeatedly hitting his head”.

Declan’s household stated his loss of life had left a “enormous void” of their lives

FAMILY HANDOUT Declan with his family. His grandparents are also in the picture while Declan is looking to the side and wearing a black T-shirt. Declan's sister Kaitlyn has sunglasses on her head and is smiling, the rest of the family are also smiling, they've all positioned themselves around Declan. — Declan’s household stated his loss of life had left a “enormous void” of their lives

‘Highest precedence’

The coroner’s prevention of future deaths report stated the psychological well being suite had brought about Declan to enter deeper disaster and “in the end this resulted in his loss of life”.

Cambridgeshire County Council and the NHS in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough stated they accepted this.

Each organisations stated a studying incapacity and autism enchancment programme could be rolled out from spring 2025.

Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Basis Belief, which runs psychological well being providers, stated it had tightened processes to enhance affected person care when somebody spends greater than 24 hours within the Part 136 suite.

Kisimul acknowledged issues with the “lack of key workers”, which it stated had been partly attributable to Brexit and competing industries.

Nicky Cooper, Kisimul’s director of high quality and apply, stated the welfare of individuals the service helped was the “highest precedence”.

The Division of Well being and Social Care stated the brand new Mental Health Bill would “enhance the monitoring of individuals with studying disabilities and autism who could also be susceptible to going into disaster”.

The invoice would legally require the NHS and native authorities to make sure the wants of individuals like Declan have been met with out detaining them in hospital.

NHS England stated it had drawn up guidelines and was “rigorously contemplating” the coroner’s report.

When you’ve got been affected by this story or would really like help, you’ll find organisations which provide assist and knowledge on the BBC Action Line.

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