Social Care News

Nurses jailed for neglect of stroke patients at Princess of Wales Hospital in Bridgend

Two nurses have been jailed for neglecting stroke patients on a ward at Bridgend's Princess of Wales Hospital. A third was given a community order for the same offence.

They failed to carry out blood glucose tests on patients, which should have been done every two hours, then falsified the results. 

Sentencing the three Judge Tom Crowther QC said: "This was not a failure to do your job, it was a failure of compassion and humanity.

"This was clear-eyed and calculated deception, the purpose of which was to make the defendants' working time easier."

• Read the judge's full comments on BBC Wales news: Nurses jailed over fake results

Nurses failed to check blood glucose levels on multiple occasions

Rebecca Jones, 31, Lauro Bertulano, 46 and Natalie Jones, 42, were all nurses on a specialist stroke ward at the Princess of Wales Hospital when the offences took place between 2012 and 2013.

During the trial Cardiff Crown Court heard the nurses had failed to check blood glucose levels - which were required to be checked at least every two hours - on multiple occasions.

All three pleaded guilty to multiple charges of wilful neglect.

Rebecca Jones was jailed for eight months, Bertulano for four months and Natalie Jones was given a 12-month community order requiring her to carry out 80 hours of unpaid work.

Concerns were first raised about the ward in February 2013 when discrepancies were noticed. It prompted an investigation at the ward, which led to numerous arrests. Two other nurses from the hospital were cleared of neglect after the case against them collapsed in October.

Health Board offers 'sincere apologies' to families of patients

In a statement released after sentencing, Abertawe Bro Morgannwg University Health Board said it apologised to patients and families and will be offering to meet those affected.

• Read more on what the Health Board said in response to the convictions - ITV Wales news: Two of the three nurses were jailed and one given community service after they admitted neglecting patients