Below is a statement from Dr Nick Broughton, Chief Executive of Southern Health NHS Foundation Trust:
“Today I attended Oxford Crown Court relating to the Health and Safety Executive prosecution of Southern Health for two incidents: the death of Teresa Colvin in Hampshire, 2012, and the death of Connor Sparrowhawk in Oxfordshire in 2013.
We have pleaded guilty in both cases to the charges and we fully accept the failings. The judge has imposed a £2 million fine upon the Trust.
Since I joined the Trust in November 2017 I have looked closely at what happened to Connor and Teresa and the events that followed. I feel deeply saddened and am truly sorry that we let them down with such devastating consequences. Their deaths were avoidable, entirely preventable and should never have occurred.
Personally, and on behalf of the Trust board, I apologise unreservedly.
Since these sad events there have been significant changes made across our services making them safer. These include a particular focus on reducing risk of ligatures, improving the inpatient environments at our mental health units, better support for staff who want to raise concerns, and working more closely with families and carers. Though these are all positive changes, I am clear that the job of improving quality and safety is never complete and it remains the single highest priority for me and for my colleagues at Southern Health.”