Two nurses have been suspended and face imprisonment after being secretly filmed abusing a brain-damaged patient.
Rita Page, 68, and Lynette Crook, 33, were filmed on cameras hidden by the family of the patient, who cannot be named for legal reasons, after they became concerned about his treatment. The nurses can be seen slapping, jabbing and humiliating him, and the audio shows them swearing at and verbally abusing him.
One of the nurses explains how she will get away with it by passing his treatment off as neglect.
On the tape, Page can be heard saying: “You won’t beat us b*****d. There’s this very fine line between abuse and neglect. Don’t you dare be sick on me boy, don’t you dare – You dirty scummy boy.”
Crook can also be heard saying: “Better not think about being sick on me lad. I don’t do sick so stop it scummy lad.”
The footage was filmed in August and September 2012 at the privately run Priory Highbank hospital in Greater Manchester.
Both nurses were suspended from duties and arrested after the family handed the footage to the police.
Page pleaded guilty to two charges relating to use of abusive language and slapping that patient’s leg during a struggle. Crook pleaded guilty to three charges relating to jabbing the patient in the torso and head as he slept, slapping his legs while taking blood pressure and using abusive language.
The Manchester Evening News quotes the patient’s uncle as saying: “All institutions must be brought to justice and we wanted to make sure these two women were brought to account for what they did.
“As a family we are more than happy with their pleas and they will be shown up for what they are. We want a petition for cameras in care homes for vulnerable people like him. If you have nothing to be ashamed of then it won’t be an intrusion.”
A spokesman for the Highbank Hospital said: “Everyone at the Company deeply regrets the unacceptable actions of these two members of staff both of whom had over 10 years’ service and previously unblemished records.
“The Company will not tolerate behaviour of this nature and both healthcare assistants have been dismissed for gross misconduct.
“This was an isolated incident and does not represent the high standards at this otherwise excellent hospital.”
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