Mental Health Nurse Sentenced for Neglect Leading to Patient's Death
A mental health nurse, Laurence Tchapong, has been sentenced to four years in prison after failing to monitor a patient, Amy Barber, who took her own life. The incident occurred at the Brooklands psychiatric intensive care unit in Clatterbridge Hospital on June 30, 2022.
Tchapong was required to check on Barber every five minutes but did not do so for 25 minutes before Barber was found unresponsive. Despite denying willful neglect, Tchapong was convicted after the court heard she falsified records to indicate that checks had been completed.
The court was informed that Barber had a complex mental health history and had previously exhibited self-harming behavior. During sentencing, the judge noted Tchapong's deliberate dishonesty in her records and highlighted a prior warning she received after Barber had reported her for sleeping on duty. The case has raised concerns about patient care standards in mental health facilities.
