An NHS trust has been fined £300,000 after a patient fell 130 feet to his death from an industrial chimney at Epsom Hospital. Adam Withers, 20, died in May 2014 after climbing a ladder propped against the chimney while suffering from an acute psychotic illness.
Surrey and Borders Partnership NHS Foundation Trust admitted health and safety breaches at a previous hearing at Guildford Crown Court. An inquest found the trust had failed to reassess Mr Withers' risk levels and had not acted on warnings that patients could abscond via a low-level building in the courtyard.
There had been at least nine previous incidents between 2011 and 2014 in which patients managed to get onto the roof. Mr Withers was admitted to the Langley Unit in April 2014 with paranoia and delusions. During a visit from his mother, he went into the courtyard, climbed onto a low building, and accessed a ladder left against the chimney.
Fiona Edwards, chief executive of the trust, said: 'I am deeply sorry for Adam's death and continue to offer my most sincere condolences to his family and friends. This was a tragic accident and we accept responsibility for our contribution to his death.' She added that the loss of his life had driven safety improvements.
