Paralysed patient forced to wash with wet wipes and sleep on floor at mental health unit

Niamh Buckell, who was severely depressed and paralyzed from the waist down, was forced to spend her final days washing herself with baby wipes and sleeping on a mattress on the floor because the psychiatric care unit was not equipped to deal with her disability.

The 21-year-old spent 10 months in inpatient treatment at Melbury Lodge in Winchester, where he used a wheelchair and struggled with complex medical needs after suffering a spinal cord injury. He had been known in the wards for four years because he had a history of depression.

She did not have access to accessible washing and toilet facilities and could only use communal shower areas supervised by male carers, leaving her feeling uncomfortable and embarrassed.

He also spent a month suffering from chronic pain while sleeping on an unsuitable mattress while awaiting repairs to his special bed. His family said this “amplified all the physical difficulties he was experiencing.”

Friend Bella Kirwan, speaking on behalf of the family, said: “He found the situation difficult, he felt his dignity had been compromised and it had a huge impact on him.” “He felt humiliated.”

In May 2026, Niamh was found dead a few days after being transferred to Elmleigh Hospital in Havant.

His family now want assurances that physically vulnerable patients are treated with dignity in mental health settings, including ensuring wards are adequately equipped and accessible for disabled people.

Niamh’s family complained to Hampshire and Isle of Wight NHS Trust about the lack of suitable facilities, the trust accepted in a response. Independent, “The current environment for accessing washing facilities is not wheelchair accessible.”

While they apologized for their inconvenience and said a nurse would prepare a care plan, they emphasized that sometimes “male staff have to supervise female patients due to clinical need, staff availability and skill mix, and this is not determined by gender alone.”

The hospital also apologized for being left to sleep for several weeks on an isolation bed, a special, heavy-duty bed made of supportive foam without zippers or cords designed for high-risk environments such as mental health facilities, instead of a special height-adjustable bed that needed repairs.

Foundation admits Niamh requested transfer TThey were trying to find a suitable placement on another care unit, but it “wasn’t a quick process.”

In the years before she was hospitalised, Niamh was an avid athlete, talented artist and avid fan of musician Phoebe Bridgers.

However, his deteriorating mental health led him to attempt to take his own life in January 2025, which left him confined to his wheelchair due to his spinal cord injury.

After six months at Southampton General Hospital, he was transferred to the Rosemary Ward at Melbury Lodge, a general acute psychiatrist ward that did not specialize in patients with physical needs.

During her time there, her family raised concerns that staff did not receive specialist training on how to restrain Niamh when she suffered a mental health issue from her injury, which left her in “severe pain” for days.

Ms Kirwan said: “I was concerned that he was not being properly monitored and given the correct treatment to alleviate the pain he endured as a result of being restrained. He was much more vulnerable to pain and injury.”

In a letter he saw IndependentThe trust said there was “no ideal use of restraint” and that it was strictly used as a “last resort” if an individual’s behavior posed an immediate risk to themselves or others. They added that the previous ward head nurse had raised these concerns and a care plan had been put in place.

Due to her disability, lack of appropriate training by staff and the availability of nurses, Niamh was often left on the ward and deprived of the opportunity to take part in activities or visit the garden.

He also told his family that he would not be able to engage in any activity if he harmed himself, discouraging him from doing so, but this further increased his feelings of loneliness.

Although his family visit the ward regularly, they have been unable to take him out on their own as his care plan requires him to need constant staff supervision, and they believe this could help lift his spirits.

After four months of inpatient treatment, he was not offered regular antidepressants, antipsychotic medications, or mood stabilizers.

Ms Kirwan said: “There is a distinct lack of knowledge and understanding and a lack of convergence between specialist physical practitioners and mental health practitioners. There needs to be joint input from both practitioners, they need to communicate when someone has complex needs, there needs to be a holistic treatment plan.”

Niamh’s death is currently the subject of an inquest planned for next year.

“He was a very nice person,” Ms. Kirwan said. “He genuinely cared about other people, even when he was suffering. He often reached out to the friends he made in the online mental health community, he wanted to defend the system, and he hated the way it worked.

“He had such a big heart and was so kind and sweet-natured.”

Rachel Coltart, quality and profession manager for safe, acute and crisis services at Hampshire and Isle of Wight Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, said: “We offer our deepest condolences to Niamh’s family, friends and loved ones. “We take the concerns expressed very seriously, are reviewing them closely and will be involving Niamh’s family to help us gain a full understanding of the situation.

“We will also work with the coroner in due course as part of the inquest process.

“Our commitment is to provide the best possible care for people on our mental health services, regardless of their physical health or other needs.”

If you are experiencing distressed emotions or having difficulty coping, you can talk or email the Samaritans confidentially on 116 123 (UK and ROI). jo@samaritans.orgor visit Samaritans If you are a US resident and you or someone you know needs mental health help right now, call or text 988 or visit: 988lifeline.org To access online chat on the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. This is a free, confidential crisis hotline that anyone can access 24 hours a day, seven days a week. If you are in another country you can go to: www.befrienders.org To find a helpline near you.