An NHS trust has been fined £565,000 following the tragic death of a young woman at a secure mental health hospital. Alice Figueiredo, 22, took her own life at Goodmayes Hospital in London in July 2015. She had been diagnosed with bipolar disorder and an eating disorder and was receiving treatment in the Hepworth ward.

Earlier this year, a jury found that the North East London NHS Foundation Trust and ward manager Benjamin Aninakwa failed to take adequate measures to prevent her death. In addition to the fine, the trust was ordered to pay £200,000 in costs.

Mr Aninakwa, 54, received a six-month prison sentence, suspended for 12 months, and was mandated to complete 300 hours of unpaid work. Judge Richard Marks KC described Alice as a "beautiful vibrant young woman" and expressed that her death was a "terrible tragedy."

Alice's mother, Jane Figueiredo, who previously served as a hospital chaplain, expressed her family's distress over the treatment they received during the investigation. In a victim impact statement, she stated, "Such attitudes go against everything patient care stands for in our NHS. The impact of Alice's untimely, preventable death on every aspect of my life and our life as a family has been immeasurable."

The court heard that during Alice's stay, the trust failed to remove plastic items that she had previously used to self-harm on at least ten occasions. A former patient also claimed that staff often spent time on their phones rather than attending to the needs of those in the unit.

Jane Figueiredo remarked, "It’s shocking and distressing that this was still going on four months after Alice died." She emphasised that the items that contributed to her daughter's death "could and should definitely have been removed," adding that patients continued to be placed at unnecessary risk.

The case highlights significant concerns regarding patient safety and care standards within the NHS, particularly in mental health facilities.