A mental health nurse has been sentenced to four years in prison for wilfully neglecting a 22-year-old patient who died by suicide. Laurence Tchapong, 54, failed to carry out five-minute observations on Amy Barber at the Brooklands psychiatric intensive care unit at Clatterbridge Hospital in Wirral.
Tchapong resented Ms Barber for complaining about her sleeping on the job and consequently did not check on her for nearly half an hour. Staff discovered Ms Barber unresponsive at 8:40 p.m. on June 30, 2022. She was taken to Arrowe Park Hospital, but due to a catastrophic brain injury, she died four days later.
During the trial in July, Tchapong claimed the unit was understaffed and she was occupied with other patients. However, CCTV footage contradicted her testimony, showing no checks were performed and revealing that she altered observation logs in an attempt to conceal her actions. A jury found her guilty of wilful neglect after deliberating for 15 minutes.
Sentencing Tchapong, Judge Anil Murray stated that the nurse held a grudge against Ms Barber after the patient had taken a picture of her sleeping at work and reported her to management, which resulted in Tchapong receiving a verbal warning. "I am sure the defendant held a grudge because Amy had previously complained about the defendant," the judge said.
Ms Barber's mother, Susan, described her daughter as a "bright and clever" A* student who was "let down" by the NHS. She stated, "She was the most caring, bright, funny and intelligent girl. She was driven. That drive was taken away by a system that let her down."
Ms Barber had been diagnosed with mental health problems, including an emotionally unstable personality disorder and an eating disorder, at age 14 in 2014. She had a history of self-harm and was transferred to the Clatterbridge unit in 2019. Tchapong, who qualified as a mental health nurse in 2004, was working full-time and also undertaking agency work at Clatterbridge at the time of the incident.
The judge noted that Tchapong did not appear remorseful, stating, "I can't accept that as the defendant does not accept she is to blame here." Patrick Cassidy, defending, suggested that the demanding nature of mental health nursing could wear down professionals but added that there was confidence there would be no further offences from this defendant. Tchapong, who had no previous convictions, showed no reaction upon being jailed.