NHS nurses ‘unlawfully sedated and mistreated’ stroke patients

STROKE patients in a Blackpool hospital were allegedly “unlawfully sedated”, as three NHS nurses are among five health workers charged following a police investigation.

Officers announced yesterday that five NHS workers – three nurses and two health care assistants – will appear in court following an investigation into the ill treatment of patients at Blackpool Victoria Hospital between August 2014 and November 2018.

One of those charged, Charlotte Wilmot, 47, of Blackpool, faced accusations of “encouraging a nurse to sedate a patient”, Lancashire Constabulary said.

Four of her colleagues were also charged, but with other offences including conspiring to ill treat, conspiring to steal from an employer and offering to supply a Class C drug.

The other individuals charged are Catherine Hudson, 52, of Blackpool; Matthew Pover, 39, of Smethwick, West Midlands; Victoria Holehouse, 31, of Hambleton, Lancashire; and Marek Grabianowski, 45, of Bispham, Blackpool. Detectives said the charges follow a “complex investigation into allegations of unlawful sedation”.

All five individuals worked at the hospital and were brought to the police’s attention in 2018, when Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust reported concerns about the care provided to a number of patients.

The alleged offences were committed on the stroke unit, police said.

Det Chief Insp Jill Johnston, leading the investigation, said: “This is a complex investigation into allegations of unlawful sedation and ill treatment of patients on the stroke unit at Blackpool over a number of years.

“The safety of patients and the public remains our absolute priority and this inquiry has investigated the care provided to often elderly and vulnerable people. Everyone should be safe in hospital, to receive the care they require and be treated with dignity and respect. Our investigation remains ongoing. ”

All are due to appear at Blackpool magistrates’ court on May 31.

Pete Murphy, executive director of nursing and midwifery at Blackpool Teaching Hospitals, said: “Our thoughts remain firmly with all of the families involved with and connected to the case, which has been ongoing for a significant period of time.”