HEALTH bosses have assured people the safety and wellbeing of children and young people are at the ‘core’ of their work following the release of a serious case review of the care of a teenager who died by hanging.

Maziellie MacKenzie, known as Mazie, was found in woodland near Heysham Barrows, Lancashire, on June 23, 2018.

Mazie was from Barrow and previously attended Ulverston Victoria High School.

A serious case review by the Cumbria Safeguarding Children Partnership identified issues related to Mazie’s care and offered recommendations for improving practices in future.

Simon Fell, MP for Barrow and Furness, said he would be talking to ministers in the Departments for Education and Health and Social Care to ensure they gave the report ‘proper consideration for national policy.’

"It is striking just how much care was given to Child CH [Maziellie], but also how much fell through the cracks and what opportunities were missed," said Mr Fell.

"People are complex and complicated and when they’re in crisis, no matter their age, they need prioritisation, consistency, and continuity of care.

"No child, whether from Furness or further afield, should be left without the support they need."

The report referred to two previous serious case reviews in Cumbria where children had taken their own lives.

It said the findings from these reviews revolved around child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS) in parts of Cumbria ‘not being fit for purpose’ and ‘a view from partner agencies that a referral to CAMHS did not guarantee a safer outcome for a young person at risk of suicide.’

The report said: “At the time CAMHS reported long-standing and deep-seated difficulties and referred to low levels of morale, high staff turnover, sickness absence, inadequate practice in relation to risk recognition and response, poor information sharing, and a lack of leadership and direction.

“While the situation has improved, the use of agency staff and ongoing recruitment and retention challenges remain an issue and had an impact on Child CH.”

A spokesman for Morecambe Bay Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG), which is responsible for the planning and commissioning of health care services, said: “We would like to offer our sincere condolences to the family and friends of Child CH at this difficult time.

“We would like to assure the population of Morecambe Bay that the safety and wellbeing of children and young people is at the core of our work here."

The spokesman said: “Morecambe Bay CCG will continue to ensure that we contribute to arrangements that safeguard and promote the welfare of children and young people across our communities. This includes commissioning safe services alongside a skilled and competent workforce.”