Alice’s mother Jane Figueiredo has called for a complete ban on plastic bin-liners on all NHS mental health wards, reports Sebastian Mann, Local Democracy Reporter

Warning: This article includes references to suicide

Alice Figueiredo’s family speaks outside the Old Bailey. L-R: Andrew Gordon (then boyfriend), Jane Figueiredo (mother), Max Figueiredo (stepfather), Eleanor Masters (sister), Credit: Sebastian Mann

The family of a young woman who took her own life during her stay on an NHS mental health ward say sweeping reforms are needed.

Alice Figueiredo was 22 years old when she died at the Hepworth ward in Goodmayes Hospital back in 2015.

She had used plastic bin-liners to self-harm on several occasions during her five month stay, including in her fatal attempt on 7th July.

Speaking outside the Old Bailey, following a decade-long struggle for justice, her mother Jane Figueiredo called for a national ban on such items on all mental health wards in the UK.

She told reporters: “Very clearly, what has emerged from this, is that there should be a national ban on plastic bags and bin-liners in patient-accessible areas.

“There was no consistent rule [in Hepworth] and so, if we had one, we wouldn’t have any further pedantic and potentially lethal prevarication, such as happened at NELFT during the five months, about whether infection control takes precedence over an immediate risk to life.”

“Alice is certainly not the only patient who has lost her life due to a risk of this nature,” she added.

NELFT was fined £565,000, to be paid alongside £200,000 in prosecution costs, after a jury found it did not do enough to prevent her death in June. It was cleared of the more serious charge of corporate manslaughter.

Benjamin Aninakwa, ward manager when Alice died, was handed a six-month prison sentence, suspended for twelve months. He was similarly acquitted of gross negligence manslaughter.

Though he was spared jail, he will need to complete 300 hours of unpaid work within the next year.

Jane stated that an action plan needs drafting to address general mental health ward patients with eating disorders, such as Alice, who were “being failed”.

“They are not receiving the appropriate and essential treatment and support,” she said. “This can be a great source of torment for patients, and we believe contributed to Alice’s loss of life.”

Jane continued on that there also needed to be a reform of the risk management and investigation systems across mental health wards, after Alice was able to attempt self-harm a total of 19 times.

During Alice’s five-month stay on Hepworth, they were not “remotely fit-for-purpose,” she said, and were “just not working on any level”.

During the trial, which began in October, the court heard that incidents involving Alice and other patients were not consistently recorded using the NHS’ internal systems. Concerns raised by Alice’s mother, about the repeated incidents, were said to go “ignored”.

NELFT says it has made changes in the decade since Alice’s death, while offering condolences to her family.

A spokesperson pointed to enhanced risk assessment and management procedures, which all inpatient staff have received “comprehensive” training in.

They added: “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.”

“Alice, your all-too-short life was dynamic, beautiful and unique,” Jane closed by saying.

“You left an unforgettable impression on people’s hearts wherever you went. For us you were, are and always will be precious, honoured and loved.”

The Old Bailey trial was the first time an NHS trust had been charged in relation to a patient taking their own life, and only the second time a trust had faced corporate manslaughter charges.

Jurors deliberated for a total of 24 days, the joint-longest deliberation in UK legal history.

Anyone feeling emotionally distressed or suicidal can call Samaritans for help on 116 123 or email [email protected]

No news is bad news

Independent news outlets like ours – reporting for the community without rich backers – are under threat of closure, turning British towns into news deserts.

The audiences they serve know less, understand less, and can do less.

If our coverage has helped you understand our community a little bit better, please consider supporting us with a monthly, yearly or one-off donation.

Choose the news. Don’t lose the news.

Monthly direct debit

Annual direct debit

£5 per month supporters get a digital copy of each month’s paper before anyone else, £10 per month supporters get a digital copy of each month’s paper before anyone else and a print copy posted to them each month. £50 annual supporters get a digital copy of each month's paper before anyone else.