The London Ambulance Service and East London NHS Foundation Trust have admitted breaching their duty of care over the tragic death of Ebow Graham, a founding member of the hip-hop group Foreign Beggars. Graham, also known by his stage name Metropolis, died at the age of 40 after falling from a third-storey window in Clapton, east London, during a psychotic episode in April 2020.
Despite repeated calls from his friends raising concerns about his behaviour, London ambulance paramedics dismissed their warnings. Additionally, a mental health crisis call handler from East London NHS trust failed to properly assess Graham’s risk or arrange an urgent mental health assessment within the recommended timeframe.
Undisclosed settlement reached with Graham’s partner
Both the London Ambulance Service and the NHS trust have reached an undisclosed settlement with Graham’s former partner, Francesca Macri. She criticised the paramedics for being “dismissive and flippant” during their visit and accused them of ignoring urgent warnings about Graham’s deteriorating condition.
The ambulance service’s serious incident report admitted that paramedics failed to follow protocols by not consulting mental health specialists. Later calls to the crisis team were also mishandled, with urgent assessments delayed beyond the critical four-hour window.
Missed opportunities to save Graham
In the hours leading up to his death, Graham’s friends made multiple emergency calls. Despite taking him to a hospital, they returned home without him being seen by medical staff due to his agitation. Two more emergency calls were made warning of Graham’s condition, before a final call at 12:25am reported that he had fallen from a window. Graham suffered critical injuries and a cardiac arrest on the way to hospital and died shortly after arriving.
Internal investigations by the ambulance service concluded there were “several missed opportunities” to secure expert intervention that might have saved his life. East London NHS Foundation Trust also admitted failures in handling crisis calls.
Family demands accountability and highlights concerns
Macri expressed deep concerns about the treatment Graham received, questioning whether racial profiling influenced the paramedics’ dismissive attitude. She stressed the need for faster, more appropriate mental health interventions to prevent future tragedies. “If Ebow had received the correct care on that fateful day, he may still be here with us today,” she said.
Her lawyer, Leena Savjani from Irwin Mitchell, urged healthcare providers to learn lessons from Graham’s death, emphasising the importance of listening to loved ones during mental health crises.
Ambulance service responds and denies racial profiling
Daniel Elkeles, Chief Executive of the London Ambulance Service, offered “sincere condolences” to Graham’s family and acknowledged the failings in his care. He noted that an inquest found shortcomings in handling Graham’s mental health needs but rejected allegations of racial profiling. “We strongly refute these claims,” Elkeles said, adding that significant changes have been implemented at the trust since Graham’s death.
East London NHS Foundation Trust has been approached for comment.
