System Failed Our Daughter, Say Parents, After Nhs Trust Fined £200,000

A woman who killed herself erstwhile she absconded from 24-hour objective supervision was grounded by a strategy that was meant to protect her, her parents person said, aft nan NHS spot progressive was fined complete nan avoidable death.

Ellame Ford-Dunn, 16, who suffered pinch terrible intelligence wellness problems, died connected 20 March 2022, minutes aft leaving nan Bluefin acute children’s ward successful Worthing hospital, portion of University hospitals Sussex NHS spot (UHSussex).

The supervising agency caregiver watched Ellame time off nan ward but did not travel her because she said she had been instructed not to time off nan ward if a diligent absconded, Brighton magistrates tribunal was told past month.

On Wednesday nan spot was fined £200,000 positive costs by territory judge Tessa Szagun for criminal wellness and information offences complete Ellame’s death.

Her parents Nancy and Ken Ford-Dunn said nan prosecution, which was brought by nan infirmary regulator nan Care Quality Commission, confirmed that their girl was “failed by a strategy that was meant to protect her”.

The spot had pleaded blameworthy to a nonaccomplishment to supply safe attraction and curen resulting successful avoidable harm. In mitigation it said nan ward was not equipped to woody pinch susceptible intelligence wellness patients but nan spot had accepted Ellame amid a nationalist shortage of intelligence wellness beds for children and adolescents.

Judge Szagun said: “Any organisation entrusted pinch nan attraction of amongst nan astir susceptible successful nine … should beryllium alert to and proactive to changes successful proposal and guidance.

“That should person covered nan nickname of nan accrued pressures and demands being placed connected specified wards by nan request for them to accommodate nan much risky and needy patients specified arsenic Ellame.”

Ellame’s parents expressed fury astatine trust’s nonaccomplishment to forestall their daughter’s death.

A connection publication extracurricular nan tribunal by Ellame’s father, Ken, said: “There is nary greater heartbreak than losing a child, but to suffer a kid you believed was being kept safe creates a symptom beyond measure, and a deep, searing anger.”

He urged nan authorities to usage nan good to amended children’s intelligence wellness provision.

He said: “No financial punishment could ever consciousness proportionate to nan demolition that has been caused. We would return immoderate comfortableness were nan caput for wellness to nonstop nan costs toward strengthening children’s intelligence wellness services, an area successful specified urgent request of support.”

The family is pursuing a abstracted declare for damages against nan trust. Ellame’s mother added: “We do not want to opportunity much astatine this shape arsenic we do not want to consequence jeopardising nan ongoing ineligible proceedings. This prosecution is an important measurement successful highlighting conscionable 1 of nan galore failings successful Ellame’s attraction and brings a first sensation of justness connected behalf of our darling girl.”

Jodie Anderson, elder caseworker astatine nan kindness Inquest, which has been supporting nan family, said: “We request urgent action to guarantee further failures and harms by intelligence wellness services are prevented, and to guarantee each kid and young personification successful distress receives nan attraction and support they need.”

At past month’s proceeding nan spot pleaded blameworthy to a nonaccomplishment to supply safe attraction and curen resulting successful avoidable harm. Eleanor Sanderson, nan counsel for UHSussex, told nan hearing: “The spot accepts nan halfway failing was nan 2019 missing diligent policy. It wasn’t clear astir what to do erstwhile a diligent absconds.”

An inquest into Ellame’s decease opened past year. It was adjourned pending nan result of nan prosecution.