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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Politics
Louise Tickle

High court judge ‘deeply frustrated’ by NHS delays in suicidal girl’s care

An NHS hospital corridor.
An NHS hospital corridor. The delays caused Mrs Justice Lieven to tell North Staffordshire combined healthcare NHS trust: ‘You are testing my patience.’ Photograph: Anki Hoglund/Alamy

A high court judge has expressed her “deep frustration” at NHS delays and bureaucracy that mean a suicidal 12-year-old girl has been held on her own, in a locked, windowless room with no access to the outdoors for three weeks.

In a hearing on Thursday, Mrs Justice Lieven told North Staffordshire combined healthcare NHS trust “you are testing my patience”, after she heard that a proposal to move Becky (not her real name), could not progress until a planning meeting that would not be held until next week, and that a move was not anticipated until 2 March.

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