THE family of a teenager who died at a crisis-hit mental health unit have met the chief executive of NHS England.

Connor Sparrowhawk’s mother Sara Ryan and his family met David Nicholson and chief nursing officer Jane Cummings in London on Thursday.

The 18-year-old, of Headington, pictured, who had learning difficulties, died after being found underwater in a bath at Slade House, Headington, in July last year.

A post-mortem found he died from drowning likely to have been caused by an epileptic fit. An inquest has yet to be held.

The meeting was arranged after Ms Ryan messaged Mr Nicholson on Twitter, to which he publicly replied: “This sounds really bad. Can someone send me details?”

Writing on her blog, Mr Sparrowhawk’s mother said: “We talked, described, railed and ranted.

“We were listened to.”

She said Mr Nicholson “talked sense” and Mrs Cummings “demonstrated understanding/empathy”.

But she said another meeting with NHS England that day “did not go well”, adding: “They wanted to talk pathways and processes. We wanted to talk people.”

An independent report last month said the 15-minute checks on Mr Sparrowhawk during baths were not safe and a result of poor overall care.

The report said his death was preventable and criticised assessments and management of his needs.

Southern Health NHS Foundation Trust, which runs the unit, apologised.

The home – which takes up to 15 adults – closed to admissions last September after concerns from the Care Quality Commission about staff practices.