Court Hears Mother Cautioned Hospital Staff About Potential Ward Fatality

A court was informed that the mother of a young woman who passed away in a psychiatric facility had cautioned staff about a potential “fatality on the ward” several weeks prior to her daughter’s death. Alice Figueiredo, aged 22, passed away at Goodmayes Hospital, a mental health facility situated in Redbridge, north-east London, on 7 July 2015. Benjamin Aninakwa, 53, who refutes accusations of gross misconduct, served as the ward manager for Hepworth Ward at Goodmayes Hospital during the period of the alleged incidents. He is currently on trial at the Old Bailey, along with the North East London NHS Foundation Trust, which has pleaded not guilty to corporate manslaughter. Readers should be aware that this article includes content that some individuals may find upsetting. Testimony presented in court indicated that on 16 May 2015, Jane Figueiredo corresponded with her daughter’s psychiatrist, expressing concerns regarding multiple instances where her daughter had managed to self-harm, even while under continuous observation. “If staff are complacent or careless in this way and don’t carry out level three observations of a suicidal patient with diligence, it’s only a matter of time before there will be a fatality on the ward,” she said. It was explained in court that level three observations required staff to maintain visual contact with a patient around the clock. Alice died by suicide on 7 July, seven weeks subsequent to the email’s dispatch. Duncan Atkinson KC, representing the prosecution, informed the jury that numerous chances to implement preventative measures for her fate were overlooked. He enumerated 18 separate occasions when Alice had managed to obtain bin liners for self-harm, preceding the incident that led to her death. The jury was informed that these occurrences were frequently omitted from the hospital’s incident log, known as Datix, and were documented erratically in the observations log, RiO. Mr Atkinson stated that this lack of consistent recording meant that professionals making decisions regarding Alice’s care lacked a comprehensive understanding of her state. Furthermore, it implied that even after Alice’s repeated attempts to self-harm with bin liners, these items were not completely removed from the facility. The jury heard that ward manager Benjamin Aninakwa claimed he had instructed staff to take plastic bin bags off the ward, but this directive was countermanded by senior management. However, Mr Atkinson KC informed the court that no supporting evidence for this claim has been discovered. The legal proceedings are ongoing.