They checked in to hospitals run by the world-famous Priory with the hope of beating their demons and rebuilding their lives.
But these 12 people are all dead – having taken their own lives, most in-patients at a hospital group paid £700million a year by the taxpayer.
For the families left behind the grief is unbearable. And so too is the fact that many of the deaths came after shocking failures in care.
A Sunday Mirror investigation today highlights how a lack of aftercare plans left some needlessly vulnerable to taking their own lives.
Suicidal patients were also left unattended, with materials that could be used to take their own lives.
And falsified records were identified as matters of concern in two deaths.
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Some families have now accused the Priory Group of “putting profits before people” – a claim which they told us they “strongly refute”.
Devastated mum Ieva Alksne told the Sunday Mirror how daughter Evelina, 22, was referred to a Priory-run clinic after two years in NHS care.
Within three weeks she had been able to take her own life – while on watch for self-harming.
Ieva, 48, said she felt the firm had put money before its patients.
She said: “People are dying as a result. When she was in the NHS unit it was hard, but she was alive. They kept her alive for two years.
The Priory fined £300,000 over death of girl, 14, found hanged in room
“She moved to a private centre making millions and died after three weeks.
“Evie was just a number, someone to make money out of. They failed us.”
Evelina, described by family as “a fireracker”, managed to kill herself using a bandage off her arm after staff failed to identify it as a risk.
The Priory made its name treating high-profile celebrities including Kate Moss, Pete Doherty, Robbie Williams and Ronnie Wood.
But now the group, bought by US giant Acadia Healthcare in 2016, gets 90 per cent of revenue from public money.
It has over 300 UK sites, such as Ticehurst House in East Sussex and Cheadle Royal Hospital in Cheshire.
Others, including Recovery First Hospital in Widnes, and Chadwick Lodge, Milton Keynes – both identified in our investigation – are no longer run by the group.
Priory Healthcare was last month fined £300,000 for allowing Amy El-Keria, 14, to take her own life while she should have been on suicide watch.
Because of the complex nature of the deaths, The Priory was not declared to be the sole cause of death for patients like her.
But our investigators found at least a further 11 deaths following failings in care at the group’s clinics since her case in 2011.
In that time the NHS and Social Services have paid the firm billions. In 2017 – the latest figures available – the group earned £797million.
Of this, £418million came from the NHS and £302million from Social Services. Profits were £170,000 a day.
The year after Amy’s death, the boss at the time was given a £458,000 payout when he left.
But for some, there is no walking away from tragedy with a smile and handshake.
Ieva said: “It’s hard to get our lives back. It’s like no one said sorry, no one took responsibility.”
Evelina was admitted to Recovery First in March 2015. Ieva, of Stoke-on-Trent, said her daughter claimed she was alone in her room a lot.
She said: “She couldn’t find anyone to talk to. All these therapies, treatments… nothing was really happening.”
On March 28, Ieva and Evelina’s stepdad Stephen were told by doctors their daughter was on life support after a self-harm incident.
Ieva said: “I had to say goodbye when she was still warm and breathing. It’s hard to get closure.”
Evelina’s inquest found there was “insufficient action to follow up” on Evelina’s state of mind, missing opportunities to increase observation levels.
A Priory spokesman insisted there was no evidence of disproportionately high deaths in the group’s hospitals.
They said: “Every year we successfully treat thousands of severely ill people. Fatal incidents are exceptionally rare. We strongly refute the allegation that we put profit before safety.”
Pip McManus, 15
Died: 2015
Hospital: The Priory in Altrincham, Cheshire
Being treated for anorexia. Contributing factors included inadequate communication of enhanced risk of suicide on discharge.
Francesca Whyatt, 21
Died: 2013
Hospital: The Priory, Roehampton
Killed herself with a pair of tights. Inquest’s conclusion found her death was contributed to by neglect, including having access to the tights and hospital’s reliance on agency staff.
George Werb, 15
Died: 2013
Hospital: The Priory Hospital, Southampton
Died on home leave after being assessed as having no suicidal risk, based on incomplete information that “did not reflect the actual situation”.
Sara Green, 17
Died: 2013
Hospital: The Cheadle Royal Hospital
Inquest cited failure to arrange or manage her hospital discharge. The coroner also noted concern at how the hospital recorded observations.
Mustafa Khan, 40
Died: 2019
Hospital: The Priory, Southgate
His inquest said while it cannot be said Mr Khan would not have killed himself “several opportunities were lost to ameliorate or avert the risk” that he would.
Neil Carter, 37
Died: 2012
Hospital: The Priory, Roehampton
Jumped under train after going missing. Inquest spoke of “failure to perform basic observations” and “deliberate falsification of the record.”
Antony McManus, 48
Died: 2015
Hospital: Chadwick Lodge
Report said he had been noted as not visible at 2am, then found in the bathroom at the 3am check. The system of observations was ruled inadequate.
Anne Morris
Died: 2017
Hospital: Ticehurst House
Report stated Anne was discharged to a friend’s house but relatives were not told.
The Priory failed to identify anyone responsible for her ongoing care.
Will Jordan, 16
Died: 2018
Hospital: The Priory Hospital, North London
Found hanging in his room after being left unattended.
Coroner said logs “were entered to create impression” of observation carried out.
Evelina Alksne, 22
Died: 2015
Hospital: Recovery First Hospital in Widnes (now run by Elysium Healthcare)
Staff failed to identify a bandage as a ligature risk and did not act when alerted to her declining mental state.
Keith Hearn, 58
Died: 2015
Hospital: The Priory, Roehampton
Had been taken off one-to-one observation.
Coroner recorded: “This death was preventable. If someone is going to kill themselves they are inventive finding a way.”
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We must invest to get the best care
By Jonathan Asworth, Shadow Health Secretary
Yet again we see public funds flowing out of the National Health Service into poor quality private health care.
And it is simply because the NHS is struggling to cope with years of austerity and cutbacks.
This is a vicious circle – and it’s patients who suffer.
We need real investment in NHS services, including mental health services, so that the NHS is no longer forced to turn to the private sector like this.
