Mental health trust fined over £500k over patient death

North East London NHS Foundation Trust (NELFT) has been fined more than £500,000 following the death of 22-year-old Alice Figueiredo at Goodmayes Hospital on 7 July 2015.

(c) Wesley Tingey/Unsplash

(c) Wesley Tingey/Unsplash

An Old Bailey trial was found the trust guilty of failing to ensure the safety of a non-employee. Ward manager Benjamin Aninakwa was sentenced to six months in prison, suspended for 12 months, plus 300 hours of unpaid work after being convicted of failing to take reasonable care for the health and safety of patients.

The trust was found guilty in June 2025 following the trial which launched in November 2024.

An NELFT spokesperson said: ‘Our thoughts remain with Alice's family and all those close to her, both today and throughout the decade since her death.

‘Since Alice's death, we have undertaken service improvements to mental healthcare provision across the trust. We have worked closely with patients, families and staff to identify and implement meaningful changes, and we remain committed to this process of continuous improvement.

‘These changes include enhanced risk assessment and management procedures, which all inpatient staff have received comprehensive training in. We have also prioritised a fundamental shift in ward culture, placing the person at the centre of our care delivery and working to build stronger partnerships between our clinical teams, patients and their families.

‘The trust is fully committed to sustaining and building upon these improvements. We remain dedicated to ensuring that Alice's memory continues to inspire positive change within our organisation, and we will continue to work tirelessly to deliver safer, more compassionate care for the communities we serve.'

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