Hospital charged with corporate manslaughter over death of mental health patient

A hospital has been charged with corporate manslaughter following the death of a 22-year-old mental health patient.

Alice Figueiredo died at Goodmayes Hospital, in Redbridge, on 7 July 2015 and North East London Foundation Trust (NELFT) has been charged following a five-year-investigation by the Met Police.

A ward manager, Benjamin Aninakwa, is also facing a gross negligence manslaughter charge over her death.

The hospital is only the second ever to be charged with corporate manslaughter after Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells Trust was charged following the death of a woman who underwent an emergency Caesarean in 2015.

Mr Aninakwa will appear at Barkingside Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday, 4 October.

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The news comes after Nottinghamshire Police said they would launch a criminal investigation into maternity cases after baby deaths at Nottingham University Trust, after an investigation by The Independent uncovered concerns about poor care.

It follows any earlier criminal investigation by West Mercia Police over the deaths of babies revealed in the Shrewsbury Maternity Scandal.

In 2019, Essex Police dropped a corporate manslaughter case against Essex University Partnership Foundation Trust over the deaths of multiple mental health patients.

And last year, The Independent revealed that the scandal-hit private mental health hospital Taplow Manor, was facing a police investigation over the death of a 14-year-old girl.

A CPS spokesperson said: “We have authorised the Metropolitan Police to charge North East London NHS Foundation Trust (NELFT) with corporate manslaughter and an offence under section 3 of the Health and Safety at Work Act.

“We have also authorised charges of gross negligence manslaughter and an offence under section 7 of the Health and Safety at Work Act against Benjamin Aninakwa, who was a ward manager at Goodmayes Hospital in north east London.”

NELFT has been approached for comment.