A BLOGGER who died after swallowing poison had it sent to her in the mail while staying at a mental health unit.
Beth Matthews, 26, had bought the toxin online from Russia, and swallowed it after telling psychiatric hospital staff the substance was protein powder.
Not only had she lied about what the package contained, Beth was banned from opening her own mail while staying at Manchester's The Priory’s Cheadle Royal psychiatric hospital.
An inquest has now found neglect by hospital staff contributed to her death.
The blogger, who was said to have a "massive" following, collapsed in front of staff on March 21, 2022.
She was rushed to hospital, where she tragically died that afternoon.
Beth had been detained as a patient under the Mental Health Act after battling with mental health issues for years.
During her stay, the 26-year-old had been banned from opening her own mail, but “inconsistencies” meant she was able to.
The Mirror reported Suzanne Barnard, The Priory's head of investigations, acknowledged some staff allowed Beth to open her own post, but others opened it for her – as her care plan stated.
Beth told ward staff the substance was protein powder before swallowing it, going into cardiac arrest and being raced to Wythenshawe Hospital where she died.
Earlier in the nine-day inquest it was discussed how the 26-year-old was able to order the poison.
Jurors were told while the unit’s WiFi has a firewall, patients could access certain websites through their 4G and 5G connections, which staff had “no control over”.
David Watts, director of risk and safety at The Priory, said it was “impossible” to monitor patient’s web browsing on mobile phones.
He said mental health units are left “playing catch-up” in efforts to protect patients from certain online content.
It was found Beth had ordered the poison from a supplier in Russia, and also made several visits to online forums discussing suicide methods.
The jury also heard that staff "should have” reported a comment made by the blogger over “things you can purchase that can do the job” just weeks before she died.
Dr Sumamta Gupta, Priory Cheadle Royal consultant psychiatrist, said he was not told of the comments Beth had made.
During questioning by assistant coroner Andrew Bridgman, Dr Gupta confirmed if he had known, he would have triggered an immediate review of her care plan.
The Priory Group yesterday admitted Beth’s care plan "was not followed" as it should have been on the day of her death.
It accepted that "on the balance of probabilities if the measure related to post on Beth’s care plan was followed, she would not have ingested the substance, and would not have died as she did".
Beth had grown a large following on social media after starting up Life Beyond the Ledge – a mental health blog discussing a "failed suicide attempt" from 2019.
Throughout the inquest, the court heard detailed evidence of Beth’s history with mental health problems.
She was diagnosed with Emotionally Unstable Personality Disorder (EUPD) in 2018, which led to having recurring thoughts of wanting to end her life, the hearing was told.
In April 2019, Beth suffered "severe" injuries in a "failed suicide attempt" leaving her with "significant long-term pain and disability".
She spent several months in hospital before being transferred to a psychiatric unit.
Beth was discharged in September 2019, and later set up her blog and told of her experiences as a "suicide survivor".
However, in 2021 her mental health deteriorated and she was admitted to a unit, before being shifted to The Priory.
Beth, who was from the village of Menheniot in Cornwall, is being remembered by her mother Jane as a "caring, intelligent and articulate" daughter.
If you are affected by any of the issues raised in this article, please call the Samaritans for free on 116123.
Inside 'dead' seaside town blighted by yobs who set playgrounds on fire
Gemma Atkinson and Gorka Marquez reveal they are expecting their second baby
Corrie star confirms she's left show after major storyline & fans are gutted
Charles will make major change to Coronation & won't wear old-fashioned costume
©News Group Newspapers Limited in England No. 679215 Registered office: 1 London Bridge Street, London, SE1 9GF. “The Sun”, “Sun”, “Sun Online” are registered trademarks or trade names of News Group Newspapers Limited. This service is provided on News Group Newspapers’ Limited’s Standard Terms and Conditions in accordance with our Privacy & Cookie Policy. To inquire about a licence to reproduce material, visit our Syndication site. View our online Press Pack. For other inquiries, Contact Us. To see all content on The Sun, please use the Site Map. The Sun website is regulated by the Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO)
Our journalists strive for accuracy but on occasion we make mistakes. For further details of our complaints policy and to make a complaint please click this link: thesun.co.uk/editorial-complaints/