Bronwen Morgan, a 26-year-old student nurse, had criticized mental health services before tragically taking her own life, an inquest has revealed. The young woman was found unresponsive at a hotel in Pentwyn, Cardiff, in August 2020. Described as “bright and beautiful” by her family, Bronwen had been struggling with her mental health for several years.
The coroner’s court in Pontypridd commenced a five-day inquest into her death. It was disclosed that Bronwen Morgan had made multiple attempts on her life after March 2020.
On August 27, 2020, she informed her father, Haydn, that she was going to a friend’s house after he had dropped her off at her GP surgery. However, she never reached her friend’s house. Text messages exchanged between Bronwen and her friend Olivia Childs included Bronwen stating that she “did not want to be found.”
The discussion between the two friends turned to mental health services, with Bronwen expressing that she was “done with it all.”
Bronwen’s phone was tracked to a Premier Inn hotel in Pentwyn, where the police discovered her unresponsive with a letter beside her. In the letter, she outlined her dissatisfaction with her care and treatment plan and her desires for a change in approach from the services.
During the inquest, Consultant Psychologist Dr. Emma Morgan revealed that Bronwen had been diagnosed with borderline personality disorder in 2019. She received anti-depressants and other medication and began receiving dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) by June 2020. DBT is a treatment designed to help patients acquire skills to manage difficult emotions.
Dr. Morgan further explained that Bronwen’s self-harm attempts became “riskier” in the months leading up to her death. However, she did not believe that Bronwen needed to be detained under the Mental Health Act, so her care continued within the community.
The psychiatrist also discussed a meeting where potential future interventions were considered, including placing Bronwen under a community protection order, which could have led to her arrest if she attempted self-harm. Dr. Morgan recounted that Bronwen was “really upset” upon hearing about this and expressed concern that it would “ruin her future.”
In response to concerns raised by Bronwen about not being involved in her care plans, the psychiatrist stated, “we did our best.”
The inquest is ongoing, seeking to provide insight into the circumstances surrounding Bronwen Morgan’s tragic passing and to assess the role of mental health services in her case.
