Imagine repeatedly crying out for help, only to feel like your voice is swallowed by silence. That’s the heartbreaking reality faced by the family of Keren, a woman from Southampton who tragically took her own life in 2021. Now, her loved ones are demanding change, shedding light on a systemic issue that’s far too common: mental health calls seemingly falling through the cracks. But here’s where it gets controversial—how many more lives could be saved if these calls were taken seriously and properly documented?
Ava Randle, Keren’s daughter, shared that she made countless calls to her mother’s GP and non-emergency lines, pleading for assistance. Keren had been treated for depression in 2017 but later stopped receiving care, living alone despite her family’s concerns. Ava and her brother, Owain, noticed alarming changes in Keren’s behavior, believing she suffered from undiagnosed psychosis. “There was a lot of thinking that people were out to harm her,” Ava recalled. “Her behavior completely switched.”
Despite their efforts, during Keren’s inquest, the family discovered their calls had barely been recorded, leaving them feeling ignored and powerless. “It felt futile,” Owain admitted. “Nothing was happening, and that’s really hard.”
South Central Ambulance Service, which oversees Hampshire’s 111 service, acknowledged room for improvement in coordinating information across services. But is acknowledgment enough? And this is the part most people miss—families are often the first to notice when something is wrong, yet they’re frequently left in the dark.
A 2025 report by Parliament’s Health and Social Care Committee highlighted this very issue, with chair Layla Moran stating, “Friends and family will raise the alarm and feel they’ve got nowhere to go. It’s simply not good enough.”
Charities like Rethink Mental Illness echo this sentiment, receiving countless calls from people desperate to help their loved ones. Brian Dow, the organization’s deputy chief executive, emphasized, “Loved ones are often the first to notice when something is going wrong. Health professionals need to work closely with families to get this right.”
While the Department of Health and Social Care has pledged additional funding and 8,500 new mental health workers, Ava remains skeptical. “I worry about whether this will happen to other families,” she said. “Hopefully, there can be changes, even if they’re small.”
Here’s the burning question: Are we doing enough to bridge the gap between families’ cries for help and the support their loved ones need? The Mental Health Act, awaiting Royal Assent, aims to involve families more in treatment decisions, but will it be enough? Share your thoughts in the comments—do you think the system is failing families, or is there a better way forward?
