A mental health nurse has been sentenced to four years in prison for wilfully neglecting a patient under her care who subsequently died by suicide. Laurence Tchapong, 54, was found to have failed in her duty to check on 22-year-old Amy Barber at the Brooklands psychiatric intensive care unit at Clatterbridge Hospital, Wirral.
Ms Barber, who was diagnosed with mental health issues at age 14, including an emotionally unstable personality disorder and an eating disorder, required observations every five minutes. However, the court heard that Tchapong resented Ms Barber for complaining about her sleeping on the job and deliberately neglected to check on her for nearly half an hour. CCTV footage later revealed Tchapong had not performed the required checks and had altered observation logs in an attempt to conceal her actions.
Another staff member found Ms Barber unresponsive at 8:40 p.m. on June 30, 2022. She was transported to Arrowe Park Hospital, where she died four days later due to a catastrophic brain injury. Tchapong, who was working two jobs at the time of the incident, was found guilty of wilful neglect by a jury in July after a short deliberation. The judge noted that Tchapong held a grudge against Ms Barber because of the prior complaint, which had resulted in a verbal warning for the nurse.
During the trial, Tchapong claimed the unit was understaffed and she was busy with other patients. However, the jury rejected these explanations. Sentencing Tchapong, Judge Anil Murray stated he was sure she held a grudge and could not accept claims of remorse from the defendant, as she did not accept blame.
Ms Barber's mother, Susan, described her daughter as a bright, clever, and driven individual who was let down by the NHS. In a victim impact statement, she shared the pain of listening to her daughter's final moments repeatedly due to the not guilty plea. She noted that Tchapong had walked past Amy's room multiple times without entering.
Tchapong, originally from Cameroon, qualified as a mental health nurse in 2004. The court heard she felt resentful and that she was being made a scapegoat. Her defense counsel suggested that the challenging nature of mental health nursing could wear down professionals.
A spokesperson for the Crown Prosecution Service highlighted Tchapong's position of trust and her failure to care for a vulnerable patient, followed by attempts to conceal her actions. The profound impact on the family was acknowledged, with the CPS offering thoughts to them.