Pennine Care NHS Foundation Trust fined over patient death
Pennine Care NHS Foundation Trust has been fined due to safety failings after the death of a patient who drowned during a canoeing activity event.
Mansoor Elahi was 31 from Rochadale. He was an inpatient in Birch Hill Hospital when he drowned at Hollingworth Lake, Rochdale, on 5th of September 2013.
Mr Elahi was taking part in a rafted canoeing activity that had been pre-arranged by an outdoor activity centre working in partnership with Pennine Care NHS Foundation Trust. During this activity he removed his buoyancy aid and jumped into the water in an attempt to end his life.
Failed safety assessment
Mr Elahi’s family said:
“Mansoor was a loving, caring and immensely pleasant son, husband, brother, uncle and friend. He never failed to make those around him happy and we feel that a massive piece of our life and soul has been taken away from us”
It has been discovered by an investigation that was carried out by the Health and Safety Executive that a risk assessment was not carried out by the Pennine Care NHS Foundation Trust, and that Mr Elahi had not been assessed as to whether it would be suitable for him to attend the event.
The Health and Safety Executive
Pennine Care NHS Foundation Trust pleaded guilty to numerous breaches which led them to be fined £30,000 and having to pay costs of £51,233.88. This decision was made on 19th of July 2016.
The Health and Safety Executive is the national regulator for health and safety in Britain. It works to reduce mainly work-related deaths, as well as ill health or injury.
Caroline Shorrock, Health and Safety Executive inspector, said after the hearing:
“The Trust failed to adequately assess Mr Elahi’s suitability to attend the rafted canoeing activity. Mr Elahi’s actions were entirely foreseeable as he had tried to enter the lake on a previous occasion. Had the Trust carried out a suitable assessment they would not have allowed a vulnerable person the opportunity to end his life”
Source: www.press.hse.gov.uk/nhs-foundation-trust-fined-over-patient-death
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