The tragedy and the truth behind mental health negligence
*Warning: This article contains upsetting details and references to serious self-harm and death.
When we’re mentally or physically unwell, we trust healthcare professionals to provide the treatment and support we need. When that trust is breached, it can have fatal consequences.
The harrowing circumstances surrounding Alice Figueiredo’s death emphasises the importance of calling out negligence in mental health services to prevent future tragedies.
Alice was under the care of Goodmayes Hospital, which is run by the Northeast London NHS Foundation Trust (NELFT), when she took her own life in July 2015. The 22-year-old had already attempted to harm herself on at least 39 occasions while she was a mental health in-patient at the hospital.
The Trust failed to learn from these previous attempts and, following a trial at the Old Bailey,
was found to have not done enough to prevent Alice’s death. NELFT was fined £565,000 and a ward manager was given a six-month suspended sentence.
A long fight for justice
Alice’s parents fought tirelessly to highlight the mental health trust’s failings and to champion the need for change in psychiatric care. It took them almost 10 years to hold NELFT to account, which came with a massive emotional and financial toll.
Max and Jane Figueiredo told the BBC that they had to sell their home twice and quit their jobs to work full-time on uncovering the truth about what happened to Alice, who had been diagnosed with an eating disorder and bipolar disorder.
The truth was shocking: Alice’s attempts to take her own life were not always recorded properly or communicated to the family. Worst of all, she was able to repeatedly use the same method to inflict self-harm.
In the decade since Alice’s death, concerns have been raised about the deaths of 20 other patients under the Trust’s care, according to an investigation by the BBC. This included issues with mental health risk assessments and record-keeping.
Expert support for your mental health negligence claim
Knowing when and how to claim for mental health negligence can be complex. According to NHS Resolution, an average of three years passes between a clinical incident occurring and a claim being reported.
With mental health negligence claims subject to different time limitations depending on the patient’s circumstances, it’s important to start action as quickly as possible, which can be difficult when emotions are running high.
As experienced mental health negligence solicitors, Attwaters will guide you through every step of the claim process. We will help to identify failings, so that lessons can be learned and patients protected in the future. Like Max and Jane Figueiredo, we believe in driving change and securing justice.
If you think you have grounds for a claim, contact us today for a free consultation on enquiries@attwaters.co.uk or 0330 221 8855. You can find out more about our medical negligence expertise here.
