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| Goodmayes Hospital: Mother warned of ward fatalities, court told | |
| (4 months later) | |
| Alice Figueiredo died at Goodmayes Hospital in 2015 | Alice Figueiredo died at Goodmayes Hospital in 2015 |
| The mother of a young woman who died in a psychiatric hospital had warned staff that there would be a “fatality on the ward” weeks before she died, a court heard. | The mother of a young woman who died in a psychiatric hospital had warned staff that there would be a “fatality on the ward” weeks before she died, a court heard. |
| Alice Figueiredo, 22, died at Goodmayes Hospital, a mental health facility in Redbridge, north-east London, on 7 July 2015. | Alice Figueiredo, 22, died at Goodmayes Hospital, a mental health facility in Redbridge, north-east London, on 7 July 2015. |
| Benjamin Aninakwa, 53, who denies the charges of gross misconduct, was ward manager of Hepworth Ward at Goodmayes Hospital at the time of the alleged offences. | Benjamin Aninakwa, 53, who denies the charges of gross misconduct, was ward manager of Hepworth Ward at Goodmayes Hospital at the time of the alleged offences. |
| He faces trial at the Old Bailey alongside the North East London NHS Foundation Trust, which denies corporate manslaughter. | He faces trial at the Old Bailey alongside the North East London NHS Foundation Trust, which denies corporate manslaughter. |
| This article contains material that some may find distressing. | This article contains material that some may find distressing. |
| The court heard that on 16 May 2015, Jane Figueiredo, wrote to her daughter’s psychiatrist, warning about a series of incidents where she had been able to harm herself, despite being on constant observations. | The court heard that on 16 May 2015, Jane Figueiredo, wrote to her daughter’s psychiatrist, warning about a series of incidents where she had been able to harm herself, despite being on constant observations. |
| “If staff are complacent or careless in this way and don't carry out level three observations of a suicidal patient with diligence, it's only a matter of time before there will be a fatality on the ward,” she said. | “If staff are complacent or careless in this way and don't carry out level three observations of a suicidal patient with diligence, it's only a matter of time before there will be a fatality on the ward,” she said. |
| The court heard that level three observations meant that staff had a patient in eyesight 24 hours a day. | The court heard that level three observations meant that staff had a patient in eyesight 24 hours a day. |
| Seven weeks after the email was written, on the 7 July, Alice took her own life. | Seven weeks after the email was written, on the 7 July, Alice took her own life. |
| Alice Figueiredo was a mental health patient at Goodmayes Hospital in Redbridge | Alice Figueiredo was a mental health patient at Goodmayes Hospital in Redbridge |
| Duncan Atkinson KC for the prosecution told the jury there were many missed opportunities to take steps to prevent what happened to her. | Duncan Atkinson KC for the prosecution told the jury there were many missed opportunities to take steps to prevent what happened to her. |
| He detailed 18 incidents where Alice had been able to get hold of bin liners to harm herself, prior to the one that killed her. | He detailed 18 incidents where Alice had been able to get hold of bin liners to harm herself, prior to the one that killed her. |
| The jury heard that these incidents were often not recorded in the hospital incident log called Datix and were inconsistently recorded in the observations log called RiO. | The jury heard that these incidents were often not recorded in the hospital incident log called Datix and were inconsistently recorded in the observations log called RiO. |
| Mr Atkinson said that this meant when professionals were making decisions about Alice’s care, they did not have a complete picture of her condition. | Mr Atkinson said that this meant when professionals were making decisions about Alice’s care, they did not have a complete picture of her condition. |
| It also meant that despite Alice’s numerous attempts to harm herself using bin liners, they were not entirely removed from the unit. | It also meant that despite Alice’s numerous attempts to harm herself using bin liners, they were not entirely removed from the unit. |
| The jury was told that ward manager Benjamin Aninakwa had said he had asked staff to remove plastic bin bags from the ward, but that was overruled by senior management. | The jury was told that ward manager Benjamin Aninakwa had said he had asked staff to remove plastic bin bags from the ward, but that was overruled by senior management. |
| But Mr Atkinson KC told the court that no evidence has been found to back this up. | But Mr Atkinson KC told the court that no evidence has been found to back this up. |
| The trial continues. | The trial continues. |
| If you've been affected by the issues in this story, help and support is available via the BBC Action Line. | If you've been affected by the issues in this story, help and support is available via the BBC Action Line. |
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