NHS trust fined after woman takes life in mental health unit

Published: 12 November 2025. The English Chronicle Desk. The English Chronicle Online

The mother of a young woman who took her own life while admitted to a mental health ward has spoken of “indifference, ignorance, and even at times cruelty” as North East London NHS Foundation Trust (NELFT) was fined more than £500,000 following a health and safety prosecution.

Alice Figueiredo, 22, died on 7 July 2015 in the acute psychiatric unit at Goodmayes Hospital, Redbridge, after repeatedly attempting suicide over a period of several years. Despite prior incidents, items in the communal toilets that she used to self-harm were not removed or secured, a failure that ultimately contributed to her death.

The Old Bailey concluded that NELFT had failed to ensure the safety of a non-employee, making it guilty of breaching health and safety regulations. On Tuesday, the Trust was fined £565,000, with an additional £200,000 in costs. Judge Richard Marks KC noted that NELFT’s finances were in a “parlous state,” and that an excessive fine could negatively affect services, but nevertheless stressed the seriousness of the breach.

Benjamin Aninakwa, the ward manager on Hepworth Ward at the time, was convicted of failing to take reasonable care for the health and safety of patients. The judge handed him a six-month prison sentence, suspended for 12 months, and ordered 300 hours of unpaid work.

Judge Marks described Figueiredo as a “beautiful, vibrant young woman” who had been “hugely talented” and possessed an “extremely attractive personality.” He stressed that her death at such a young age was a “terrible tragedy” and highlighted the significant risks posed by the accessibility of items in communal areas. Keeping these areas locked temporarily would have caused little more than minor inconvenience, he noted.

“The ward manager was aware that she was suicidal – she was the only patient on the ward at the time who was,” the judge said. “His negligent breach of duty went on for weeks, and major concerns raised by Ms Figueiredo’s mother were ignored, which should have rung major alarm bells.” The judge also took into account the 10-year delay between Figueiredo’s death and the conclusion of the case in suspending Aninakwa’s jail term.

Figueiredo’s mother and former hospital chaplain Jane Figueiredo spoke in court of the neglect and dismissive attitudes they encountered in 2015. She said that their concerns had been met with “belittling” and “disdain,” contradicting the principles of patient care within the NHS.

Addressing the ward manager directly, she recounted: “What she did not like on your watch in 2015, Mr Aninakwa, was being treated by some staff with unkindness, harshness, indifference, ignorance, even at times cruelty, or being endangered and left at risk by neglectful and incompetent staff. Some of these staff seemed clueless about their duties, a fact you were often in denial of.”

She described her daughter as a “uniquely beautiful, brave, affectionate, generous, kind, colourful, creative, and luminous spirit” whose death had left a profound impact on her family. “The loss of our daughter was followed by many other losses. I lost my job as a hospital chaplain, a role I loved but could never return to due to the catastrophic failures in her care,” she said. She added that the NHS Trust’s conduct after Alice’s death, including what she described as disingenuous behavior, had compounded the family’s suffering.

Figueiredo had first been admitted to Hepworth Ward in May 2012, presenting with a complex diagnosis that included a non-specific eating disorder and bipolar affective disorder. Throughout her stay, hospital staff failed to secure or remove items she could use to self-harm, despite multiple prior incidents. Court records indicate at least 10 self-harm attempts and eight further incidents involving similar materials.

Aninakwa, who had previously been placed on a performance improvement plan, neglected to remove items that could be used for self-harm and failed to ensure that incidents were properly recorded, assessed, and addressed. Both he and the trust denied wrongdoing but did not give evidence during the trial.

The investigation into Alice Figueiredo’s death began in 2016, yet it was not until September 2023 that charges were brought against the Trust and the ward manager. NELFT was cleared of corporate manslaughter, and Aninakwa was found not guilty of manslaughter by gross negligence. The case marked one of the most high-profile prosecutions involving NHS care failures in recent years.

The first corporate manslaughter trial against NELFT had collapsed in 2016, when a judge ruled there was no case to answer, leaving a decade-long gap before justice was pursued. The lengthy delay, coupled with the complex nature of the case, has drawn criticism from patient advocacy groups and highlighted the systemic challenges of holding NHS organisations accountable for failings in mental health care.

The sentencing and fine underscore the duty of care that NHS Trusts and their staff have toward vulnerable patients. Experts emphasise that mental health units must proactively manage risks associated with self-harm, particularly in communal areas, and must listen to families who raise concerns. The Figueiredo case highlights the consequences when these obligations are neglected.

Patient safety advocates say the case also reflects broader failings in safeguarding practices within mental health institutions. They point to a need for stronger oversight, thorough risk assessments, and responsive leadership on wards where patients are at risk of self-harm or suicide. The judgment and fines serve as a stark reminder that lapses in duty can have fatal consequences.

Alice Figueiredo’s death and the subsequent court proceedings have brought renewed scrutiny to how NHS mental health services manage risk and ensure the wellbeing of patients. Her mother’s testimony and the court’s ruling reinforce the importance of transparency, accountability, and compassion in the care of vulnerable individuals. The tragedy illustrates the human cost of systemic negligence and the urgent need for reforms in patient safeguarding procedures.

The NHS Trust’s fine of £565,000, along with £200,000 in costs, is intended both as a punishment and a warning to other healthcare organisations to uphold safety standards rigorously. But for the Figueiredo family, the court’s decision can never undo the loss of a daughter, a sister, and a vibrant young life tragically cut short.