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A £200,000 fine has been imposed on an NHS trust following the death of a vulnerable 16-year-old girl who died after absconding from a hospital ward. Ellame Ford-Dunn, a resident of Upper Beeding in West Sussex, passed away on the premises of Worthing Hospital in March 2022, where she was receiving mental health treatment as an inpatient.
The incident occurred when Ellame ran into the hospital grounds and was not immediately pursued by a nurse. This delay was attributed to confusion among staff and the absence of clear procedures for such situations, the court was informed. University Hospitals Sussex NHS Trust (UHST) admitted responsibility last month, acknowledging it failed to provide safe care that might have prevented exposure to avoidable harm.
During sentencing at Brighton Magistrates’ Court, District Judge Tessa Szagun emphasized that explicit instructions to monitor Ellame if she left the ward should have been included in her care plan. Ellame had been under constant one-to-one supervision by a registered mental health nurse on an acute ward. The court was told she remained on the ward because no suitable alternative was available; no higher-level bed appropriate to her risk was accessible due to national shortages. The prosecution recognized the trust’s challenging position, noting the high demand for such specialist mental health beds nationwide.
Outside the court, Ellame’s father, Ken Ford-Dunn, expressed the family’s profound grief and frustration, describing their daughter as a “bright firework in the dark sky” and a “loving caring soul.” He acknowledged that while no penalty could compensate for the loss, the prosecution confirmed serious failures in care. Ken also urged that the financial penalty be redirected to support children’s mental health services.
UHST’s chief nurse, Dr Maggie Davies, addressed the tragedy with condolences, acknowledging the disappointment and impact on both staff and Ellame’s loved ones. She confirmed that the trust recognized the gravity of the failures and has since taken substantial steps to improve training, policies, and ward settings to avoid future occurrences. The court ordered the trust to pay the fine to the Care Quality Commission, in addition to covering prosecution costs and a victim surcharge
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