Lauren Bridges was suffering 'harm' and 'trauma' after being locked in ward 'wholly ill-equipped to meet her needs' before her death, inquest hears

A young autistic woman who died whilst detained on a locked psychiatric ward more than 250 miles from home was suffering 'harm' and 'trauma' as a result of being there as it was 'wholly ill-equipped to meet her needs' an inquest into her death has been told.

Lauren Bridges, 20, was found unconscious in a bathroom at The Priory's Cheadle Royal Hospital in Stockport, on February 24 last year. She was rushed to Wythenshawe Hospital suffering a cardiac arrest and later placed on life support, which was withdrawn and she died two days later.

Lauren, from Bournemouth in Dorset, had been transferred to a psychiatric intensive care unit (PICU) at the privately run hospital in July 2021.

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An inquest jury has been told that it was intended to be a 'short-term' measure and that by early September she was deemed ready to be 'stepped down' to a different kind of unit closer to home.

However, she remained a patient at The Priory Cheadle by the time of her death with the inquest hearing the 'delay' in moving her, was a 'contributing factor' to a deterioration in her mental health.

On eight day of evidence, the inquest at South Manchester Coroner's Court in Stockport heard from Consultant Psychiatrist Christopher Ince, who in October 2021, some four months before Lauren's death, was asked to complete a report on her ahead of an upcoming mental health tribunal.

The hearing was told in his report he noted 'iatrogenic deterioration' that was 'exacerbated by inpatient hospital treatment, through no fault of their own, which is wholly ill-equipped to meet the needs of Lauren Bridges.'

Giving evidence Dr Ince defined 'iatrogenic deterioration' as