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Blackpool Victoria Hospital nurses charged with mistreatment

Lancashire police have charged five people with criminal offences as part of a major investigation into the ill-treatment of hospital patients

Lancashire police have charged five people with criminal offences as part of a major investigation into the ill-treatment of hospital patients

Lancashire police have charged five people with criminal offences as part of a major investigation into the ill-treatment of hospital patients
Blackpool Victoria Hospital, Lancashire. Picture: Alamy

Three nurses and two healthcare assistants have been charged with criminal offences as part of a major investigation into the ill-treatment of hospital patients – including the unlawful sedation of a patient.

A major police investigation was launched after Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust was made aware of serious concerns in November 2018.

Five people charged with offences, including ill-treatment, conspiracy to ill-treat and theft of medication

Lancashire Police said the five people had been charged with offences including ill-treatment and conspiracies to ill-treat, as well as the theft and supply of medication.

Those charged are Catherine Hudson of Blackpool, Charlotte Wilmot of Blackpool, Matthew Pover of Smethwick in the West Midlands, Victoria Holehouse of Hambleton and Marek Grabianowski of Bispham.

The charges relate to incidents that happened on the stroke unit at Blackpool Victoria Hospital between August 2014 and November 2018.

Other charges include perverting the course of justice, wilfully neglecting an individual and conspiring to steal from an employer.

Lancashire police detective chief inspector Jill Johnston said: ‘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 and we continue to provide support to the many families affected.’

Trust continuing to work with Lancashire police

Blackpool Teaching Hospitals executive director of nursing Pete Murphy said the trust is continuing to work with police.

‘Above all else, we remain committed to finding the truth and would again urge anyone with any information to come forward and tell the police what they know,’ he said.

‘We will be supporting colleagues throughout the trust to help them to process this extremely upsetting news and in the meantime, I want to reassure our patients and their families that everything possible has been done, and continues to be reviewed, to ensure patients are safe and families should be reassured about the quality of care in our hospital and community settings.’

They are due to appear in Blackpool Magistrates Court on 31 May.

Anyone with information relating to the case is encouraged to contact police on 101 quoting 0612 or by visiting the Lancashire police website here.


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