Health board fined £200k after woman took own life in hospital

Scotland’s largest health board has been fined £200,000 after a patient took her own life in hospital.

Anne Clelland was found unconscious in the ensuite toilet of her room in Glasgow’s Queen Elizabeth University Hospital on May 18, 2015.

The 49-year-old, who had a history of self-harm, had been admitted following an overdose.

She was due to be moved to a psychiatric hospital three days before her death, but this did not take place becauseofa“failureofcommunication”.

Nhsgreaterglasgowand Clyde (NHSGGC) had earlier this week pled guilty to breaching health and safetyatworklegislationinconnection with the incident.

Sentencing yesterday, Sheriffprincipalcraigturnbull said Ms Clelland’s familyhadbeen“devastated”by her death.

He said: “In this particular case,theharmcausedcould not have been greater – as a consequence of the board’s admittedfailure,anneclelland lost her life.

“Theoffencewascommitted through an omission which a person exercising reasonable care would not have committed.”

The sheriff reduced the fine from £300,000 due to the NHSGCC’S guilty plea.

The previous hearing was toldmsclellandwasadmitted to Ward 5A at the hospital after overdosing on May 7. A specialist met with Ms Clelland on May 11 and 12, with a plan put in place for her to be transferred to the city’s Leverndale Hospital once she was medically fit.

It was stated there was “no suggestion” at the time oftherebeingan“increased risk of suicide”.

She was deemed medically fit to leave on Friday, May 15 and on the same day a request was made for a psychiatrist to review her.