Messages revealed healthcare workers were drugging patients

Two healthcare workers who exchanged vile texts while needless drugging sick people to ‘keep them quiet’ have been found guilty of ill-treating patients.

Senior nurse Catherine Hudson, 54, was found to have regularly tranquillised patients unnecessarily for her own amusement and to have an ‘easy’ shift.

While Charlotte Wilmot, 48, an assistant practitioner, wrote vile texts encouraging her to carry out the dangerous acts, with complete disregard for the consequences.

Preston Crown Court heard the pair worked on the stroke unit at Blackpool Victoria Hospital and had carried out needless sedations between 2017 and 2018.

Restrictions on prescription drugs were so lax in the stroke unit that staff would help themselves and self-medicate or steal drugs to supply to others, the court heard.

Drugs such as Zopiclone, a powerful medicine used to treat insomnia, were often stolen and used to drug multiple patients.

Police launched an investigation in November 2018 after a student nurse raised concerns about the treatment of patients in the stroke unit.

A number of staff members were arrested during the course of the investigation and their mobile devices were seized.

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Source: The Independent, 6 October 2023