Hospital trust ordered to pay over £80,000 after Mohammed Mansoor Elahi drowned in Hollingworth Lake

Police searching the Lake

Pennine Care NHS Foundation Trust has been ordered to pay over £80,000 after errors which resulted in a patient in its care killing himself.

Mohammed Mansoor Elahi, who had a history of self-harm and had attempted suicide on numerous occasions, drowned during a canoeing trip at Hollingworth Lake in September 2013.

http://rochdaleonline.co.uk/news-features/2/news-headlines/82341/bodyrecovered-from-hollingworth-lake

Mr Elahi jumped into the water the first time before being lifted back onto the boat by his instructors and another patient. The 31-year-old mental health patient made a second jump into the water, and his body was recovered hours later.

Pennine Care NHS Foundation Trust admitted to two breaches of health and safety regulations at a court hearing in February this year.

An inquest into Mohammed’s death had stated that he had previously “run into” the lake at the same spot where he drowned.

http://rochdaleonline.co.uk/news-features/2/news-headlines/94826/mohammed-mansoor-elahi-ran-into-hollingworth-lake-weeks-before-his-death-at-the-same-spot

Manchester Crown Court heard on Friday how there had been no risk assessment carried out by Birch Hill Hospital for the canoeing activity, and that the safety manager was not aware of any such activity.

A defending argument was presented that the trust serves 1.1m patients and was suffering from financial strains.

A fine was imposed of £30,000, costs of £51,223.88, and a £120 victim surcharge.