Health board fined £200,000 after Glasgow hospital suicide

A health board has been fined £200,000 after admitting failings when a patient killed herself in hospital.

Anne Clelland, 49, who had a history of self harm, was found in an en suite bathroom at Glasgow's Queen Elizabeth University Hospital in May 2015.

Glasgow Sheriff Court heard she was on the ward because of a "breakdown in communication" about her move to a mental health facility.

NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde (NHSGGC) admitted breaching safety laws.

In his statement to the court, Sheriff Principal Craig Turnbull said: "In this particular case, the harm caused could not have been greater - as a consequence of the board's admitted failure Ms Clelland lost her life."

He said her family had been "devastated by her death".

• Health board admits failings over hospital suicide

• Health board fined over patient suicides

At an earlier hearing the health board offered a guilty plea to a breach of the health and safety at work legislation.

Ms Clelland was admitted to Queen Elizabeth University Hospital (QEUH) on 7 May 2015 after a suicide attempt.

She was deemed medically fit to leave on Friday 15 May and a trainee psychiatrist reviewed her.

Plans were put in place for her to be transferred to Leverndale mental health hospital in Glasgow that evening because of a significant risk of self harm.

However, due to an "admitted breakdown in communication" it was not clear to QEUH staff that Ms Clelland was to be moved that evening and she remained at the hospital over the weekend.

"There was no suggestion at this time that, despite her ongoing treatment following a suicide attempt, she was at an increased risk of suicide and requiring of any special requirements, such as the removal of personal possessions, or enhanced observations, such as constant or special observations," Mr Turnbull said.

Ms Clelland was found unconscious on Monday 18 May. She was pronounced dead the next day.

In deciding on sentencing, Mr Turnbull noted that NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde had previous convictions over the suicide of three other patients in the three years prior to Ms Clelland's death.

He said: "In terms of mitigating factors there was a prompt admission of guilt; full co-operation with the investigating authorities; and a wide reaching review that led to the taking of a number of steps to address the issues raised in this tragic case."

Taking into account the health board's projected financial shortfall this year, and the current "pressures faced by the NHS in general", NHSGGC was fined £300,00, reduced to £200,000 because of an early guilty plea.

NHSGGC previously admitted failing to conduct itself in a way "that a person would not be exposed to risks to their health and safety" and expressed its deepest sympathies to Ms Clelland's family.

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