Virgil Rhone parents criticise child mental health services

The parents of a transgender teenager believed to have taken their own life say mental health services are failing to recruit enough clinicians.

Virgil Rhone was found at their family home in Bicester, Oxfordshire in 2022.

The 15-year-old's parents, Vanessa and Peter, criticised Oxfordshire Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) during Virgil's inquest.

A statement from CAMHS confirmed it was examining ways to improve services after directions from the coroner.

Virgil had been receiving care from CAMHS since 2019.

In March, a coroner recorded their death as narrative, rather than suicide, due to a lack of evidence suggesting intent.

During the inquest, Mr and Mrs Rhone said there was "a lack of urgency" as Virgil's mental health worsened and they put part of the problem down to CAHMS failing to recruit enough clinicians.

Mr Rhone described Virgil, who was also diagnosed with autism, as "amazing, artistic" and for a lot of the time "they just loved life".

His wife added: "They were a really good advocate for other young people who were struggling and that became really obvious after they died.

"Virgil was such a supportive person and helped people feel really comfortable with who they were. I think often the people who need help do it for other people."

Mr and Mrs Rhone self referred to CAHMS after Virgil started refusing to go to school because they were being bullied, as well as suffering with anxiety and hallucinations.

Mr Rhone explained: "Virgil was in crisis and they're the times when you're not quite sure who to turn to, so you turn to the people you think are going to help."

Virgil was assigned a counsellor through CAHMS, but their parents have called out the service's "lack of continuity" as the counselling ended after six sessions.

Mrs Rhone said: "There's no evidence to support the six session limit, they're more an assessment and unless you're in crisis you don't really get extra support.

"At the end Virgil was on a waiting list to see a clinical psychologist. I think that could have happened a year earlier and could have made a big difference."

Virgil received additional support through Nai's House, a holistic health centre for young people, which now has a wait list of more than nine months due to pressure on mental health services.

Mrs Rhone said the support Virgil received through the centre led to them starting to sign up to art classes and taking on new projects.

She added: "I remember thinking 'phew' and we felt there was a light at the end of the tunnel. I think that's why their death is even more shocking."

The coroner issued a regulation 28 report of CAHMS at the end of Virgil's inquest, which is used when the coroner believes action should be taken to prevent further deaths.

Mr Rhone said: "One of the things that came out was how short staffed CAHMS are, they can't get enough clinicians and obviously that effects everything from waiting times to treatments."

The couple has since contacted North Oxfordshire MP Victoria Prentis, who is writing to the Department of Health to find out more about mental health services for young people.

Mr Rhone said: "We want to get the ball rolling to see what's going on because there is a mental health crisis and we need to get to the bottom of it, we just want to stop this happening to other families."A CAHMS spokesperson said: "The trust once again extends its deepest condolences to the family and loved ones of Virgil. Their death was a devastating event deeply felt by all trust staff.

"We will continue to speak with Virgil's family and provide further information to the coroner in order to continue to examine any ways of improving the delivery of effective healthcare to the population that we serve."

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