An NHS trust is facing questions following the death of a troubled teenager who was hit by a train after leaving a counselling session where he expressed suicidal intentions.

Ellis Murphy-Richards, 15, told a mental health nurse at the Children and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS) at Seashells in Sheerness that he was having suicidal thoughts on September 30, 2020, but refused to go to A&E, an inquest in Maidstone heard today.

The transgender teenager, who lived with his grandmother in Faversham, walked away and died later that day after being hit by a train at West Minster, Sheppey. He was just a month away from his 16th birthday.

During today's hearing, it emerged that Ellis had made an attempt to take his life as recently as the night before at his grandmother's home.

Mental health professionals had become aware of that the following day.

He had a call with Dr Shobha Puttaswamaiah, a child and adolescent psychiatrist, at 10am on September 30 before attending a scheduled appointment with April Tume, of the Children and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS) at Seashells.

Dr Puttaswamaiah had asked Miss Tume to carry out a risk assessment on Ellis given the attempt on his life the night before.

Miss Tume said Ellis had also told her about the incident during the session.

"I was very concerned," April said. "Ellis said he would end his life but would not tell me how.

"I asked if there was anything else we could do to make it better for him but Ellis said he did not want to be kept safe."

Speaking through tears, April said she "just really, really cared" about Ellis. "I am very sorry that this has happened," she added.

Once Ellis had walked out of the session, April phoned 999. She said she had "no powers to restrain" him.

Assistant coroner Sonia Hayes asked whether the police could have been called earlier when it became clear that Ellis's situation was escalating.

She was told it was a rapidly-changing situation and in the past Ellis had agreed to go to A&E.

The coroner then asked Miss Tume if there was now any clarity should a similar situation arise in future.

She replied that there had been “learning events” within the child and adolescent mental health team.

The coroner then suggested there had been "no changes" in protocols or procedures, to which Miss Tume said there were none that she was aware of.

Later, Ms Hayes emphasised she was “not blaming individuals” as she questioned a senior director at the North East London Foundation Trust (NELFT), which runs the mental health service at Seashells, over what had been learned from Ellis’ death.

However, she did say she was "concerned" whether Ellis' "safety plan" was sufficient from the outset because "it didn't say really what the role of the mental health professionals was".

"It was all about what Ellis had to do and his nan rather than what would happen if they can't do these things," she said.

She added that "an awful lot of pressure" was put on Ellis' grandmother by NHS staff to keep him safe.

A previous hearing heard Ellis, a former pupil at Highsted Grammar in Sittingbourne and then at the Oasis Academy on Sheppey, around 18 months ago identified as a boy and changed his name, which his family supported.

His mother Natasha Murphy described Ellis as "very articulate and musical."

However, Ellis suffered from behavioural problems. He had often disappeared from home, sometimes staying out all night. He had started smoking cannabis, although a post-mortem revealed no drink or drugs in his body at the time of his death.

Miss Murphy often had to call the police to help find Ellis and he also often reported to the accident and emergency department after self-harming.

Miss Murphy became increasingly concerned about his safety and he was admitted as a voluntary patient to hospital, first at Roehampton and then to the Kent and Medway Adolescent Unit.

Ellis was in hospital from February until June 16 last year, but on his discharge went again to live with his gran in Faversham.

He had tried to self harm while in the hospital's care.

His mother believes TikTok was a 'serious factor' in her son's death and called for it to be an 'interested party' in his inquest, but this was rejected by a coroner after his inquest was opened.

The inquest was adjourned to Friday, June 4.

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