https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12863901/Nurse-healthcare-worker-illegally-drugged-patients-Blackpool-stroke-ward-amusements-jailed-total-ten-years-two-months.htmlSon blasts 'pure evil' nurses who caused his stroke victim mother, 76, to hallucinate after sedating her to 'keep her quiet' as pair who boasted about drugging patients for their 'own amusement' are jailed for total of 10 years
By Danya Bazaraa and James Tozer and Elizabeth Haigh
Published: 12:36, 14 December 2023 | Updated: 15:05, 14 December 2023
The son of a stroke patient who began to hallucinate after being illegally sedated by nursing staff at Blackpool Hospital to 'keep her quiet' has said the two women involved are 'pure evil'. Brian Scott, whose 76-year-old mother Aileen Scott, was sedated after being left paralysed by a stroke to keep her 'quiet and compliant' today said the case was 'disturbing' and that his mother's treatment would 'haunt' her family for the rest of their lives. Senior nurse Catherine Hudson, 54, and healthcare worker Charlotte Wilmot, 48, were earlier found guilty over the ill-treatment of stroke patients at Blackpool Victoria Hospital, with them drugging patients 'for their own amusement'. Hudson illegally sedated two patients and conspired with junior colleague Wilmot to sedate a third. The 'dangerous and callous' pair, who have been jailed for a total of ten years and two months, are said to have targeted patients if they disliked them or their relatives, drugging them for 'an easy life'. Messages between the pair which were uncovered after a probe was launched into alleged misconduct showed how Hudson wrote to her friend that she was going to 'kill bed 5' and planned to give one patient 'the best sleep she ever had'. In another message to a colleague, Hudson wrote: 'What a lovely day I have had in blue bay today. Sedated all the troublemakers lol xxx.'
Today Hudson, who drugged patients to 'exercise contemptuous power,' was sentenced to seven years and two months at Preston Crown Court. Her colleague Wilmot, who a judge said was involved with two patients but was not the lead offender, received a three year sentence. Speaking following the sentencing, Ms Scott's son Brian, who was present for most of the trial, branded the messages 'absolutely horrendous'. He said: '[They're] absolutely disgusting and nothing prepares you for what I heard throughout that trial, especially around some of those messages and the way they were speaking about patients in some cases colleagues as well. Absolutely horrendous and what really, really I found really disturbing as well is they portrayed it as just 'banter'. It was a joke, with humour. That's not humour. And it wasn't just a one-off. It was continuous. There were months and months and months of these messages.
'And it was the same way they spoke about patients, some who were really, really vulnerable. 'They're nurses, they're there to help, look after and care for patients, not behave the way that they did.'
Outside court he said he was 'absolutely delighted' that the defendants had been given custodial sentences. He added: As you heard during the trial, there was mention of "We'll take this to the grave." Well they didn't. They were found out, and I cannot thank the student nurse who whistleblowed enough.'
Neither staff member has ever been accused of causing any deaths, although patients on their ward were 'profoundly unwell'. The judge spoke of the 'distress' the relatives of victims would feel and said the case will result in a loss of public confidence in healthcare workers. In his sentencing remarks, he said: 'You were in a position of trust and responsibility. You offended against vulnerable people in your care over a significant period. There was in each case at risk of harm. We have heard of the risk of sedatives to stroke patients. The relatives of all those patients will always be distressed at the betrayal of trust. There will be a loss of public confidence in the NHS.'
Police were alerted by hospital chiefs in November 2018 after a student nurse on a work placement said Hudson suggested administering unprescribed zopiclone, a sleeping pill, to elderly patient Aileen Scott. The whistleblower was further troubled when Hudson commented: 'Well, she's got a DNAR (do not attempt resuscitation) in place so she wouldn't be opened up if she died or like if it came to any harm.'
Brian said his mother, who was left partially paralysed after suffering a stroke, had 'seemed different' every time he visited the Blackpool Victoria Hospital. And he even recalled how she was left hallucinating on the ward. He said: 'She started to say, 'Do you know something Brian, the strangest thing, your living room has been turned into a ward of Blackpool Hospital.'
'And I said, 'But mum, you're in Blackpool Hospital...' I was concerned about it and actually went and spoke to one of the nurses and asked what was happening. 'And they said, 'Oh, don't worry about it, it's just common after a stroke.'
Brian later learned the whistleblower made a complaint about Hudson after she gave his mother Zopiclone and said she wouldn't be 'opened up' if she died. He said: 'It's pure evil in my mind. There is a lot of planning that was going on. You could hear that through these messages, the way they were speaking about the patients, they were planning what they were going to do that night to those patients. [It was] 'absolutely horrifying, shocking, really disturbing that somebody could actually say that, and especially a nurse. My mum should never have had that medication given what had happened to her. Nothing prepares you to ever hear something like that. If my mum had died in that ward, I would have just thought, 'It's really sad that she's died but it's actually due to complications of the stroke,' not actually it could possibly be due to that medication that she had been given, which was not prescribed for her.'
She was said to be 'shocked' when Hudson then took a strip of zopiclone from her tunic pocket and administered the sedative. Zopiclone a Class C controlled drug was potentially life-threatening if given inappropriately to acutely unwell patients, Preston Crown Court heard. Prosecutors said messages between Hudson, an experienced Band 5 registered nurse, and Wilmot, a Band 4 assistant practitioner, revealed a 'culture of abuse' with patients drugged for their 'own amusement'.
In May 2016, in response to Hudson suggesting the sedation of a patient, Wilmot replied: 'Ha ha yeah sedation we love it.'
In a text conversation from early February 2017, the pair appeared to be bragging about sedating patients in the stroke ward. Hudson, in a message to Wilmot, claimed she was going to 'kill' the patient in bed five. Wilmot, who indicated she was laughing, replied: 'well tonight sedate him to high heaven'.
'Already in my head to give him double !! Xxx,' Hudson answered.
Judge Robert Altham, Honorary Recorder of Preston, said: 'The offences of ill-treatment were committed by these defendants whose duty was to protect and care for them. The patients were as vulnerable as anyone could be. These defendants exploited them for an easy shift, for amusement and to exercise contemptuous power over them.'
He said the whistleblowing nurse, who the prosecution had requested not be named, should be commended for her actions. He said: 'It was only as a result of her courage and sense of public duty that what was happening on the ward was exposed and stopped.'
Karen Tonge, Specialist Prosecutor for CPS North's Complex Casework Unit, said: 'Catherine Hudson needlessly drugged patients with the full knowledge of the potentially life-threatening consequences of her actions and Wilmot encouraged her. Hudson and Wilmot showed a complete disregard for the wellbeing of the vulnerable patients, whose care should have been their top priority. The callous way they mocked and laughed about the patients was absolutely shameful. Their conduct is a complete betrayal of the trust placed in them as medical professionals. I hope the victims and their families can find some comfort in knowing that those who mistreated their loved ones have been brought to justice. I would also like to thank the student nurse who came forward to raise her concerns, without whose bravery and support this prosecution may not have been possible.'
Hudson was found guilty in October of illegally drugging Ms Scott and a second patient and conspiring with a Wilmot to administer a sedative to a third. She was jailed for seven years and two months. Wilmot, an assistant practitioner who was found guilty of encouraging her to carry out the acts and conspiracy to ill-treat patients, was jailed for three years. Marek Grabianowski, of Bispham, Hudson’s then partner and himself a senior nurse who at one stage ran the hospital’s A&E department, previously admitted conspiracy to steal drugs and perverting the course of justice. He was today jailed for 14 months. Senior nurse Matthew Pover, 40, of Smethwick, West Midlands, admitted two counts of theft by an employee and charges around supplying a Class C drug. He was previously given a suspended prison sentence of 24 weeks and 280 hours unpaid work. Healthcare assistant Victoria Holehouse, 33, of Hambleton, Lancashire, admitted one count of theft by an employee. She was previously given an 18 month community order and 175 hours unpaid work. All face proceedings banning them from ever working in healthcare again. Trish Armstrong-Child, Chief Executive of Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, issued the following statement following the sentencing of Catherine Hudson and Charlotte Wilmot at Preston Crown Court today: 'I understand that people are feeling concerned about the evidence heard during this case and want further assurance as to standard of patient care within the Trust. We were deeply shocked by these offences and the actions of these individuals in no way reflects our caring and compassionate colleagues, who continue to deliver high quality care across the Trust. The Trust has however taken immediate action to further ensure patient safety within the Trust. Those changes to working practices and culture have been delivered and continue to improve. As Chief Executive, I am committed to a range of actions to ensure the Trust provides the very best care and treatment for all our patients and families, as well as a positive and supportive place for colleagues to be.'
