Cygnet Hospital pays family £50,000 after patient’s death

A private mental health hospital has paid £50,000 in damages to the family of a 28-year-old patient who died while under its care.

The patient was admitted to Cygnet Hospital Taunton in December 2020.

He had a long history of paranoid schizophrenia, and was diagnosed with Autism, jumped from a motorway bridge in Taunton after being allowed to leave the hospital to buy tobacco.

On the day before his death, a risk assessment was carried out by the hospital inadequately and without a multi-disciplinary team meeting taken place. The leave was approved without sufficient assessment of the risks or planning of the leave as was required by policy.

Shopping trip ends in tragedy

On 4 January 2021, the patient was granted leave to go to the local shop with an escort. On his return to the hospital, he was not taken back inside to the ward but was left in the reception area, whilst payment for the taxi was being arranged.  The patient then absconded. Although staff followed in a car and tried to verbally stop him from reaching the middle of the motorway bridge, they failed to prevent the patient from jumping to his death.

Following an inquest, which returned a conclusion of suicide, Attwaters Solicitors supported the patient’s mother in building a medical negligence case, identifying a number of alleged breaches of duty by Cygnet Hospital Taunton.

For example, the escort failed to take all reasonable steps to ensure the patient was returned directly to the hospital’s secure area – a criticism that was highlighted in a review by the hospital and at the inquest. 

Hospital accused of multiple failings

It’s also alleged that the escort was given insufficient information about the patient, such as the recent threats to kill himself, his medical needs and that there were insufficient approvals for the leave with no appropriate risk assessment or contingency plan.

Staff had not been aware of their powers to use reasonable force outside of the hospital grounds in the best interests of patients. This could have enabled them to prevent the patient from reaching the bridge.

Although a number of the staff involved in the patient’s care were not directly employed by Cygnet, the hospital remains liable for any errors made.

Hospital pays £50,000 damages

Attwaters helped the mother of the patient agree an out of court settlement of £50,000 with Cygnet in June 2025.

We have a dedicated team of medical negligence lawyers with a track record of pursuing successful claims against a number of NHS and private healthcare providers, including Cygnet.

If the health of a loved one has been impacted by breaches of duty or poor standards of care, contact our team to find out how we can help.