Mother's agony after suicidal daughter escapes from mental health hospital despite being sectioned

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A worried mother says her suicidal daughter escaped from a mental health hospital on numerous occasions.

The woman says her 21-year-old daughter, whose names are being withheld to protect their identity, was sectioned under the Mental Health Act and admitted to Griffin Ward at Prestwich Hospital ten months ago.

The mother, who lives in Collyhurst, says her daughter's mental health suffered terribly after her (the mother's) father died four years ago, and then further declined when she was attacked by two girls in Piccadilly Gardens in Manchester last June.

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She says her daughter was sectioned immediately after a member of public alerted police after seeing her stood on a bridge.

After attempting to take her own life, she spent a few days at Salford Royal and Park House before being transferred to the Griffin Ward at Prestwich Hospital. But she says her daughter has been able to escape from the hospital on several occasions and has further attempted to take her life each time.

She says: "The only time I get told is when she has taken an overdose or is on a bridge. One time she was taken to A&E as she had taken an overdose and they did not even tell me." The mum says her daughter has escaped when being allowed to smoke outside of the hospital unsupervised and has also escaped through the security doors.

Rachel Green, Associate Director at Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust (GMMH) said: “We do not comment publicly on the care of individual service users. But the safety and wellbeing of every patient is of paramount importance. We would strongly encourage her to raise concerns directly with us, so that