For confidential support call Samaritans on 116123 or visit www.samaritans.org
The GP of a teenage girl who took her own life was aware of her detailed suicide plan but did not tell her parents, it has emerged.
Isobelle Phipps, 17, visited her doctor and revealed her specific plan to end her own life.
The GP did not inform Isobelle’s family but made a referral to a mental health crisis team, The Telegraph first reported.
The referral was reportedly rejected due to a ‘misunderstanding’ between NHS hospitals and mental health specialists, and nobody contacted the girl’s family.
Isobelle died the next evening on April 29 last year, found hanged at her family home in Cookham, Berkshire.
Her mother, nurse Sarah Renton, is urging any GPs who find themselves in a similar position to tell the parents of a child who is showing signs they may harm themselves.
Isobelle Phipps, 17, (pictured) took her own life one day after visiting a GP and revealing her suicide plans
The teen loved to play rugby and was studying for A-levels in PE, English and Psychology
Isobelle had gone to the GP one day before her death with a detailed plan of how she would take her own life, and picked up a prescription for antidepressants.
The teen loved to play rugby and was studying for A-levels in PE, English and Psychology.
The Gloucestershire-based GP contacted Isobelle again later on the Friday after her morning appointment, it emerged.
Trainee GP Dr Mostapha Hassan, working at Staunton and Corse, asked for advice from his supervisor, Dr Mungo Chambers. The advice did not include telling her family, according to The Telegraph.
A referral was made to a crisis team at Gloucestershire Health and Care NHS Foundation Trust.
The team then contacted colleagues in Berkshire, where the teenager was staying for the weekend for rugby.
Berkshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust would reportedly not accept the urgent referral as it had to come from a GP and the teen was not registered with a GP in Berkshire.
The Princess of Wales hugs Isobelle’s mother, Sarah Renton, at Maidenhead Rugby Club last summer
At the inquest last month, this series of events was branded a ‘misunderstanding’ by a Berkshire Hospital official.
Coroner Alison McCormick said at the conclusion of the inquest: ‘If Issy’s parents had been told of Issy’s plan on April 28, 2023, they would probably have been able to take swift steps to ensure that Issy was not home alone.’
Isobelle’s mother said: ‘As a nurse, I feel there was an absolute lack of duty of care shown to Issy.’
The Berkshire Hospital Trust said it now has processes in place to ‘improve communication in cross-border referrals’.
Meanwhile, the Gloucester Health and Care NHS Foundation Trust said work is ongoing to ‘prevent similar outcomes in the future’.
For confidential support call Samaritans on 116123 or visit www.samaritans.org
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GP knew about the detailed suicide plan of rugby-mad teenage girl, 17, but didn’t tell her parents and just a day later she was found hanged at home
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