Home / Health / Mental Health Trust Faces Neglect Warning After Patient Death
Mental Health Trust Faces Neglect Warning After Patient Death
2 Oct
Summary
- Staff found asleep and on phones during patient's death in January 2023.
- Coroner cites neglect as a contributing factor to the patient's death.
- Similar failings reported in 2021 inquest were not effectively addressed.
East London NHS Foundation Trust (ELFT) received a critical warning regarding potential future deaths due to ongoing staff issues. This follows the January 2023 strangulation of Hugo Flint Cahan by fellow patient Rolando Torres-Pena at Newham Mental Health Centre. A six-day inquest concluded that neglect had significantly contributed to Cahan's death.
Serious concerns detailed in the coroner's report include failing to conduct timely patient observations and falsifying records. Staff were found to be asleep and on their phones during crucial periods. The report also noted delays in initiating CPR and misleading police inquiries.
The coroner expressed alarm that many identified failings echoed those from a 2021 inquest, suggesting inadequate implementation of previous remedial measures. The report described the scale of dishonesty found as extraordinarily rare.
In response, ELFT apologized for the failings and stated that one staff member has been dismissed, with four others under investigation. NHS England was also criticized for not making patient safety reports publicly available. Both ELFT and NHS England have until November 19 to respond to the coroner's findings.
