Mother of TikToker India Walker-Flynn 'horrified' NHS staff made social media videos with patients

India Walker-Flynn had amassed almost 150,000 followers on the social media site and she used her platform to raise awareness of mental health.

The 20 year old began struggling with self harm as a teenager and had previously spent a year on a specialist ward, her inquest heard. Whilst she was an inpatient at Elmleigh Hospital, Havant, she was found with a non-suspension ligature around her neck, India was taken to A&E but she sadly passed away in intensive care just five days later.

Speaking after the inquest concluded last week her mother Victoria Walker hit out at the care she had received and said she was 'more than a Tik Tok handle'.

"We believe that India’s unfettered access to social media whilst in hospital greatly hindered her chances of effective recovery," she said. “We were also horrified to learn that staff also joined in making videos with patients whilst on the ward, which was grossly unprofessional in our opinion.

"India received some exceptionally vile, hateful messages to her social media posts, and we believe this must have negatively impacted her.

“It is now common knowledge how harmful the effects of social media can be, and for this to not be taken seriously by the very people who were meant to keep her safe, is a horrifying thought.”

Using the online name The Bluebell System, India kept her audience updated about the 11 dissociative identity disorder 'alters' she claimed to have - multiple different personalities she believed she was experiencing.

Dissociative identity disorder (DID) is a condition where someone feels that they have different identities that can take over their mind, some people refer to the individual identities as 'alters' and all of them together as a 'system'.

India did not have an official diagnosis of DID but she was diagnosed with emotionally unstable personality disorder (EUPD) and C-PTSD.

On October 16, 2022, she was found in her bathroom by nurse Marilise Lockyer with the ligature around her neck, the alarm was raised and CPR performed, although the compressions were too shallow, before she was taken to the Queen Alexandra Hospital in Portsmouth.

CT scans at the hospital showed swelling on her brain and doctors thought the likelihood of recovery was low. India did not regain consciousness and she passed away on October 21, 2021.

Giving evidence at Winchester Coroner's Court, India's mother Victoria said she was 'sceptical' of the conditions her daughter claimed to have online and said she was worried her social media use was not monitored properly by the NHS hospital caring for her.

Mrs Walker said: "India was always popular on social media but her content changed from discussing music to discussing physical and mental health in the name of awareness.

"I was sceptical of her DID diagnosis.

"In November 2020 I was contacted by India's care co-ordinator, I told her I was worried about her social media use.

"They did not appreciate the impact of her social media usage on her health."

After a two week inquest the jury recorded a narrative conclusion, saying that India had died because of the ligature but there was insufficient evidence to say if she had planned to take her life. The chairperson raised concerns around the CPR given, the delay in calling 999, when observations were carried out, and the recording of self-harm incidents at Elmleigh.

Senior Coroner for Hampshire Christopher Wilkinson declined to comment at the end of the inquest but said he 'may have concerns' to raise in future. Afterwards Mrs Walker said she and India's step father, Jukka, were 'devastated' by the issues which may have contributed to India's death.

She also paid tribute to her 'precious daughter' and said she 'had a future full of plans and dreams'.

She said: "India had a future full of plans and dreams—she wanted to travel, expand her small businesses, and stay connected with her wide network of friends across the world.

"But now, there will forever be an empty seat at our table, and a silence where her laughter and music once were, our lives will never be the same without her.

"India was precious to us as a daughter, granddaughter, sister, and friend, she was irreplaceable, and the world has lost a truly beautiful soul.

"She was more than a diagnosis, a patient or a TikTok handle – she was our little girl – our Indie - who had so much to give to the world.

"Although she only had 20 years with us, she lived a life of adventure and leaves us with so many wonderful memories of her throughout her childhood, a light gone too soon."

Claire Macmaster, lawyer from Simpson Millar (MUST KEEP) who supported the family, added that inquest 'raised important questions' about the care India received.

"This inquest has raised important questions about the standard of care provided to young women with a potential diagnosis of EUPD in acute mental health settings," she said.

"There is a need for a discussion within the mental health profession as to whether acute psychiatry wards are suitable for patients with EUPD who present with deliberate self-harm which does not reduce following admission.

“Acute wards are trained at managing short term mental health crisis, often with medication.

"The evidence heard at the inquest from the expert witness indicated that in some cases a more specialist environment may be needed for patients with EUPD, particularly where a short term acute stay does not reduce incidents of deliberate self-harm or even causes risk to escalate.”

A Hampshire and Isle of Wight Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust spokesperson, said: "Our policy allows patients to have internet and social media access to help them stay connected to family and friends.

"Each patient is carefully risk-assessed to determine if any restrictions are needed, and in this case, no specific risks were identified to limit access.

"We are, however, reviewing our risk assessment processes to ensure they remain thorough and responsive to any potential concerns.”

They added: "We extend our deepest sympathies to the family of India Walker-Flynn.

"Our thoughts remain with them, wholeheartedly acknowledging the profound impact the loss of India has had on them.

"We respect the findings of the inquest, and Hampshire and Isle of Wight Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust is committed to learning from this.

"The Trust has already taken steps to address the findings of our original investigation and we will revisit the evidence presented at the inquest and conduct a further review of the identified areas of concern.

"We will continue to work closely with our staff to ensure that the highest standards of care are maintained, and that any lessons learned from this case are acted upon to improve the safety and quality of the services we provide to those across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight."

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