A VULNERABLE young woman died at an 'overwhelmed' Worcester hospital emergency department because her parents say staff failed to recognise or treat her as a priority when she overdosed on a 'potentially lethal' diet drug.

The parents of Bethany Victoria Shipsey want answers after the 21-year-old died at the A&E of Worcestershire Royal Hospital.

She had overdosed on 2,4 Dinitrophenol, known as DNP, which she bought over the internet from the Ukraine.

Miss Shipsey, one of four children, had developed mental health problems which her family attribute to her being sexually and emotionally abused by then boyfriend Barry Finch, now in prison for raping her.

Following the overdose Miss Shipsey was taken to hospital from her home in Warndon Villages, Worcester, by ambulance on February 15 this year.

A friend had seen one of Miss Shipsey’s Facebook posts and become concerned for her welfare.

Miss Shipsey arrived at hospital at around 5.20pm, the ambulance staff having already been made aware that she had overdosed on DNP.

At the time of her admission she was on home leave from a psychiatric ward at Worcester’s Elgar Unit.

Miss Shipsey had been diagnosed with an emotionally unstable personality disorder in January 2016. She also had an eating disorder and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder following the rapes.

Finch, of Drake Avenue, Dines Green, Worcester, was convicted of six rapes between August 2014 and January 2016. The 22-year-old was jailed for six years last August.

Miss Shipsey, a former pupil at Blessed Edward Oldcorne Catholic College with a passion for animal welfare and a keen photographer, was placed on a trolley at the Worcester hospital. Her family say she was one of 27 patients being treated on trolleys at that time.

She said she had taken 30 DNP pills although her family acknowledge she did sometimes exaggerate.

Her father, Doug Shipsey says he tried to make a healthcare assistant aware of the dangers of the drug. A couple of days before 24 pills had been confiscated from her while she was on a mental health ward.

He also said he showed her and an ambulance crewman, information about the risks of the drug on his mobile phone, trying to make it clear how lethal the drug could be.

Mr Shipsey said he told the healthcare assistant ‘this is a potential fatal situation’ but was trying to keep his voice low so as not to alarm his daughter.

However, he said there was ‘no privacy and dignity whatsoever’ at the hospital and she was moved three times in 20 minute prior to her having a cardiac arrest

Her parents say it was one and a half hours before she was seen by a doctor after arrival to A/E.

She was given a saline drip and anti-sickness medication. He also took a blood sample.

Beth's mum Carole Shipsey, aged 57, arrived at around 7pm by which time she had been moved to a resuscitation area. Her skin was described as bright red and she was hot and agitated and breathing very quickly.

Her parents tried to use cold water packs and a fan to cool her down.

She was moved several times while in the hospital as her condition continued to deteriorate with her heart rate rising to 190 beats per minute and her breathing at double the normal rate.

She suffered the cardiac arrest around three-and-half to four hours after admission.

Her parents say it was not until 20 minutes after her cardiac arrest that she was given an emergency tracheotomy, which had the potential to cause a hypoxic brain injury.

Even as she was rapidly deteriorating prior to suffering the cardiac arrest the couple say they had difficulty getting her back to the resuscitation room as there were so many trolleys in the way.

The family have registered complaints with the hospital trust, the Care Quality Commission, the Health and Safety Executive and Worcester MP Robin Walker.

Mrs Shipsey said her daughter called out 'mum, mum, mum' , which was the last thing she ever said to her.

She added: "It was inadequate care, lack of dignity. There was no communication with the parents until Beth had a cardiac arrest. She was not seen as a priority."

Mr Shipsey, aged 52, said: "We want answers for Beth."

Miss Shipsey previously spent 42 weeks in hospital over an 18 month period which began in April 2015 after previous overdoses and mental health problems.

Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust has been in special measures since December 2015. Last month the health and social care regulator the Care Quality Commission announced it would remain so until further review.

A five day inquest into Miss Shipsey's death is set to begin on January 8 next year.

A spokesman for Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust said: “This is a tragic case and our condolences are with the family.

“As is common practice with incidents of this nature, we have undertaken a full internal review of this case. The results of this have been shared with the family and we have since met with them to answer their questions.

“At this point the trust cannot comment any further until after the coroner’s inquest.”