An employee of the National Health Service (NHS) has been penalized for breaching health and safety regulations, resulting in a fine exceeding £500,000 after a female patient died in a secure mental health facility.
Alice Figueiredo ended her life at the Goodmayes Hospital in London in July 2015. Suffering from bipolar disorder and an eating disorder, the 22-year-old was receiving treatment at the Hepworth ward within the hospital premises.
Following a recent trial, the North East London NHS Foundation Trust and ward manager Benjamin Aninakwa were found negligent in preventing the young woman’s suicide. Subsequently, the trust was fined £565,000 for the health and safety violation and instructed to cover £200,000 in expenses.
Mr. Aninakwa, aged 54, received a suspended six-month prison sentence and was mandated to perform 300 hours of community service by Judge Richard Marks KC. Expressing sorrow, the Judge remarked, “She was a vibrant, beautiful young woman. Her premature demise under such circumstances is truly tragic.”
Alice’s mother, Jane Figueiredo, a former hospital chaplain, revealed that Alice had foreseen her own demise. Recalling Alice’s words out of fear, she quoted, “The only way I’m going to leave this ward is in a body bag. It’s because she did not feel safe.”
Ms. Figueiredo criticized the dismissive treatment her family received, emphasizing the profound impact of Alice’s preventable death on their lives. She denounced the lack of care and safety measures within the NHS, stating that such attitudes contradict the essence of patient care.
During her stay at the facility, it was uncovered that the trust had failed to remove plastic items utilized for self-harm, despite multiple prior incidents. Additionally, a former patient alleged that staff members spent more time on their phones than attending to patients.
Continuing her lament, Alice’s mother expressed shock and distress over the persistence of unsafe items in the ward even four months after her daughter’s passing. She stressed that the hazardous items, pivotal in Alice’s demise, should have been promptly removed to avoid endangering other patients. NELFT has since confirmed the removal of these items.
For individuals experiencing distress, the article concludes by encouraging them to seek support from Samaritans through their hotline, email, or website.
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