NHS trust and ward manager not guilty of manslaughter after woman took her own life at hospital

Warning: This article contains references to suicide An NHS trust on trial following the death of a young woman at an east London hospital has been cleared of corporate manslaughter.

Alice Figueiredo, 22, took her own life while being treated at Goodmayes Hospital in July 2015. The North East London NHS Foundation Trust (NELFT) had been charged with corporate manslaughter and was found not guilty, following a months-long trial.

Instead, it was found guilty of failing to ensure the health and safety of non-employees. A not guilty verdict was also returned for hospital ward manager Benjamin Aninakwa, who was charged with gross negligence manslaughter.

Aninakwa also denied a charge of failing to take reasonable care for the health and safety of patients on the ward. He was found guilty.

The decisions were made after the joint-longest jury deliberation in English legal history. Alice was 'effectively killed' says family Alice's mother, Jane, said: "Today's verdicts have come after almost ten years of a relentless, uphill slog pursuing justice, accountability and truth for the five months of deplorable failings in Alice's care at Goodmayes Hospital, which directly led to her death in 2015.

"We will always personally believe and feel that Alice was effectively killed due to an appalling level of negligence." She said the family had lived the last decade "devastated by the immeasurable loss of her luminous, kind, thoughtful, generous, warm, humorous and deeply loving presence". "We will never stop thinking of her and missing her.

"There is always one place empty at our table, one very special voice silent that we long to hear in our conversations." She said the conviction for the health and safety offence will send a "very strong message" to other mental health providers that they are "not above the law". "You have a duty of care to stop dismissing and fobbing off their families, friends, and carers when they come to you with well-founded concerns about how their loved ones are being treated or mistreated," she said.

Alice's stepfather, Max, added: "In this trial, there's been a defence narrative that says these deaths are unavoidable. "We will always maintain that NELFT was grossly negligent in the management of its activities which directly led to Alice's death.

"Mr (Wes) Streeting, if you are listening today, you need to hold these trust managers to account. "This trust has the strapline 'best care by the best people'.

This is empty rhetoric." Speaking after the verdict, a spokesperson for the NELFT said their thoughts were with Alice's family and loved ones. "We will reflect on the verdict and its implications, both for the trust and mental health provision more broadly, as we continue to work to develop services for the communities we serve." Alice attempted to harm herself 39 times in five months Aninakwa was accused of failing to remove items from the ward capable of use for self-harm and failing to ensure incidents of self-harm were recorded, considered and addressed.

Ms Figueiredo was described as a bright and gifted young woman, who had been head girl at her school. She struggled with her mental health and had been diagnosed with an eating disorder as well as bipolar affective disorder.

In February 2015, Ms Figueiredo was admitted to Hepworth Ward, an acute psychiatric unit at Goodmayes Hospital. During her five months on the ward, the jury at the Old Bailey heard how she had attempted to harm or kill herself on 39 occasions, including 18 times with plastic bags.

Despite this, Ms Figueiredo was able to access a bag, and on 7 July, she killed herself using a bag taken from a communal toilet on the ward. The trial also heard evidence about the reporting of incidents on the hospital computer system.

Last year, Health Secretary Wes Streeting made damning remarks about NELFT at a conference of NHS leaders. "I'm very aware of NELFT not least because NELFT has and continues to appear in the headlines for providing really poor quality care," he said.

Ms Figueiredo's family visited her regularly in hospital, and repeatedly raised concerns about her care. The jury heard how her mother, Jane Figueiredo, wrote to managers warning: "It is only a matter of time before there is a fatality on this ward." Campaigners believe Ms Figueiredo's death points to wider problems with mental health care.

Deborah Coles, director of the charity Inquest, said: "I hope that irrespective of the verdict, this will send shock waves and ensure that learning and change is an absolute priority." Anyone feeling emotionally distressed or suicidal can call Samaritans for help on 116 123 or email jo@samaritans.org in the UK. In the US, call the Samaritans branch in your area or 1 (800) 273-TALK.