Clinic faces multi-million pound fine over girl’s death

THE PRIORY mental healthcare group is facing a fine of millions of pounds for breaching health and safety laws after a 14-year-old girl with a history of suicide attempts died in its care.

A criminal investigation was launched by the Health and Safety Executive after the death of Amy El-Keria, who was treated at the group’s Ticehurst House psychiatric hospital in 2012, Brighton Magistrates’ Court heard.

The London-based company indicated a guilty plea after being charged under health and safety laws with being an employer failing to discharge its duty to ensure people were not exposed to risk, in what is thought to be the first prosecution of its kind.

Outside court, Amy’s mother Tania El-Keria wept as she told reporters her daughter’s welfare should never have been “in the hands of a company whose priority was placing profit over her safety” and called on mental health minister Jackie DoylePrice for a meeting to discuss the failings in the care system.

The courtroom heard the company would be admitting the offence formally at a Crown Court sentencing hearing on February 6 in front of a judge with the power to impose an unlimited fine.

The company had a turnover of £134m for the year ending 2016 and the starting point for the fine would be £2.4m, Sarah Le Fevre, prosecuting, said.

The teenager was an NHSfunded patient in the Priory’s care at the East Sussex hospital’s children’s unit near Tunbridge Wells.

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