A ward manager facing allegations of responsibility for the suicide of a young woman was described by a colleague as having a “soft and gentle approach” to both patients and staff.
Alice Figueiredo, 22, received treatment at Goodmayes Hospital’s Hepworth Ward in Ilford, East London, where she tragically passed away in July 2015.
Benjamin Aninakwa, the individual overseeing Hepworth Ward at the time, has pleaded not guilty to manslaughter through gross negligence.
The 55-year-old is currently standing trial at the Old Bailey, along with the North East London NHS Foundation Trust, which also denies corporate manslaughter.
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Karen Tynan, a mental health nurse who was on staff during Ms. Figueiredo’s stay, testified to the jury about her role as Ms. Figueiredo’s “named nurse” starting in March 2015, which involved coordinating her care.
“Alice was a bright and intelligent young woman,” she shared. “I formed a strong rapport with her; I genuinely liked her and dedicated a lot of time discussing her care plan.”
When questioned regarding Ms. Figueiredo’s interactions with other staff members, Ms. Tynan remarked, “Alice had clear preferences for certain individuals, which affected her interactions.”
“There were staff members she struggled to connect with, and Benjamin was among them,” she noted. “For reasons unclear, she had a dislike for him, and when she felt that way about someone, it became challenging for them to engage with her.”
asked if she had any reservations about Mr. Aninakwa’s handling of Ms. Figueiredo’s case, Ms. Tynan expressed no concerns, stating, “He treated her like any other patient, with a kind demeanor and a consistently soft-spoken nature.”
Jurors have previously been informed that between February and July 2015, Ms. Figueiredo had attempted self-harm using plastic bags on 18 separate occasions, yet these items were not confiscated from the Hepworth Ward.
On July 7, 2015, Ms. Figueiredo accessed the ward’s communal restroom and used a bin liner to take her own life.
On Tuesday, the jury reviewed notes from June 2015, the month preceding her death, which advised staff to prevent the use of plastic bags due to her vulnerability.
Ms. Tynan recounted that Mr. Aninakwa had sought to eliminate plastic bags from the ward. “There was a situation where Alice attempted to grab a bag, prompting Benjamin to evaluate our options, ultimately deciding that plastic bags should not be permitted on the ward,” she explained.
The trial is ongoing.
