The Priory's Owners Fined After Death of Patient

Court hears of 'shambolic' conditions on ward in Roehampton clinic

Francesca Whyatt. Picture: Facebook

November 17, 2023

The owners of the Priory Clinic in Roehampton have been fined £140,000 following the death of a patient in its care over a decade ago.

21-year-old Francesca Whyatt, from Knutsford in Cheshire was found unconscious on Emerald Ward having attempted to take her own life.

She was rushed to hospital on 28 September 2013 but died three days later.

Francesca had suffered with her mental health since she was 15 and was admitted to the Priory in March 2013 to the ward which specialised in treating personality disorders.

There had been twelve instances of errors by staff on Francesca’s ward over the previous ten days and the clinical services manager and hospital director had received an email describing the situation as ‘an utter shambles’. Dr Adrian Lord, head of the clinical team on the ward where Francesca was being treated stated that he had 'no confidence in the staff to maintain safety' on 13 September 2013.

Mistakes by staff included leaving the front door open and allowing Francesca to get hold of a hacksaw which had been dropped by a maintenance worker even though she was supposed to be under constant observation being checked six times an hour.

Judge Tony Baumgartner said in his summing up that Francesca’s ‘tragic and untimely’ death had been due to a ‘freak combination of events’.

Members of her family were at the trial and they told of how Francesca had begged to be moved somewhere else.

On the day she was found unconscious, a different patient had self-harmed and threatened staff which meant that their attention was distracted as they dealt with the police. In the afternoon, another patient escaped from a garden and a member of staff had to retrieve her. This led to Francesca being on her own in a lounge area which was not properly monitored.

The judge, in his summing up said, the unprecedented circumstances of the day combined with an over reliance on agency staff jeopardised safety. An earlier inquest into Francesca’s death held in 2017 had found there were very few experienced staff on duty at the time.

Priory Healthcare Limited admitted failing to discharge a duty under Section 3(1) Health and Safety at Work Act 1974. It has since closed the Emerald Ward.