Brighton woman Despina Papadopoulos died after long battle with anorexia

Despina Papadopoulos struggled with eating disorders, severe OCD and mental health issues.

Her family told an inquest into her death that they thought a change in her healthcare provider was a factor in it.

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Despina, 34, died at the Royal Sussex County Hospital in Brighton on November 8 last year.

Despina, known as Des, had been admitted to hospital more than a year earlier and was subsequently transferred to the eating disorder ward of the Priory Hospital Hayes Grove in Bromley, Kent.

In a statement read on behalf of her family at the inquest in Hove on Monday, her parents Stephen and Maria said her “physical and mental state got a lot worse” during her time at the Priory.

After a few months, Des was allowed to return home at weekends, but by October 2019 she was “at breaking point”.

She chose not to return to the Priory and moved into her own apartment in Brighton Marina in December that year.

After medical tests, she was informed that she had Autistic Spectrum Disorder and as a result, her healthcare provider was changed from Compass Healthcare to NHS Transforming Care Autism Team, – a decision her parents said caused her mental state to deteriorate.

By mid-August last year, Des was “struggling to stand and walk” and was admitted to the gastroenterology ward at the hospital.

On August 28, her family was told no further invasive treatment would be offered to her by the autism team and they should begin planning her funeral, the inquest heard.

Despina Papadopoulos died at the Royal Sussex County Hospital in Brighton November 8

Her parents said she was “left deteriorating and dying” and questioned why the healthcare provider was changed.

“How many more deaths until the NHS take eating disorders seriously,” they said. “Despina did not want her carers removed.

“She felt failed by the professionals. It must have been utter torture for her. So much time was wasted.

“She did not want to die."

During questioning by assistant coroner Sarah Clarke, Maria said there were times in the build-up to her daughter’s death that she knew Des was deteriorating.

“I didn’t need to put her on the scales, I just knew,” she said.

“We’ve lost Des, but we want to help other people.”

Despina Papadopoulos, 34, died at the Royal Sussex County Hospital in Brighton November 8

Maria said that despite having suffered from mental health issues and OCD since the age of ten, Des did have happy times.

She recalled how she would go to Pizza Express at Brighton Marina, up until the Covid-19 lockdown, to enjoy a child’s pizza.

The inquest into the cause of death is expected to run until Friday.