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Hospital Fined £200K After Teen Dies Fleeing Ward
27 Nov, 2025
Summary
- NHS trust fined £200,000 for unsafe care leading to patient death.
- A 16-year-old girl died on hospital grounds after leaving her ward.
- Trust admitted failing to provide safe care, risking avoidable harm.
University Hospitals Sussex NHS Trust has been ordered to pay £200,000 following the death of a 16-year-old patient. The trust failed to provide safe care and treatment to Ellame Ford-Dunn, exposing her to significant risk. Ellame was admitted as a mental health inpatient at Worthing Hospital.
Tragically, Ellame died on the hospital's grounds in March 2022 after she ran from her ward. Reports indicate that nurses did not immediately follow her due to confusion and a lack of proper procedures.
The trust formally pleaded guilty last month to the charge of failing to provide safe care. This penalty underscores the critical importance of robust safety protocols and immediate responses in mental health inpatient settings.
