Family statement following the inquest of Ellie Long
Today the Coroner at Norfolk Coroner's Court gave a narrative verdict concluding that Ellie Long took action which ended her life but the evidence does not reveal whether she intended to die.
Posted on 16 January 2019
Ellie’s mum, Nicki Long, said on behalf of the family:
“Ellie was a beautiful, intelligent and caring young lady with the most wonderful smile. She was kind, gentle and sincere and always put others needs and feelings before her own.
"She was and still is a cherished daughter, granddaughter and niece. To Hannah, not only was she a devoted sister but also a best friend.
"To explain our feelings of loss is to explain the unthinkable, there simply are no words. As Ellie’s mum, I am having to learn how to exist in a world where Ellie doesn’t and I do not know how to do this yet.
"Ellie struggled with her mental health in the last few months of her life and we feel that she was not given the support and treatment she needed by the Eating Disorder Service.
"We look forward to hearing whether the Coroner considers that action should be taken by any of the interested persons involved in Ellie’s care.”
Elisabeth Andresen, solicitor from Leigh Day representing the family on Ellie Long, said:
“We are grateful to the coroner for her thorough investigation of Ellie’s death.
“It is imperative that healthcare providers listen to the concerns of their service users and their families to ensure they get the necessary support and treatment and that there is a clear plan of action in the event of an emergency.
“As we heard during the inquest there were a number of issues which impacted on the care Ellie received including a lack of available staff, failures in crisis planning and the need for better record keeping. Some of these were reiterated by the Coroner today.
“We hope that all these issues will be carefully considered by the Trust to help them provide better care in the future.”