HCA charged over patient death in Nottingham
A woman has been charged over a patient death that happened while she was working as an agency healthcare assistant at a mental health hospital in Nottingham.
Louise Furlong, 19, died on 12 September 2022 after an incident the previous day at Highbury Hospital, part of Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust.
“The safety of our patients and the quality of care we provide is of paramount importance”
Ifti Majid
Nottinghamshire Police has now announced that Sylvia Quaye-Mensah, who was on duty at the time of the incident, has been charged with ‘misconduct in a public office’, in relation to Ms Furlong’s death.
While police described her as a nurse, Nottinghamshire Healthcare has now confirmed that Quaye-Mensah was an agency healthcare support worker.
Quaye-Mensah, 41, of Ilkeston, is due to appear at Nottingham Magistrates’ Court tomorrow (30 August).
Detective inspector Craig Hall, of Nottinghamshire Police, said: “We have been investigating this incident for some time and have now charged a suspect.
“Louise’s family have been informed of this development and remain in our thoughts.”
Ifti Majid, chief executive of Nottinghamshire Healthcare, said the trust had cancelled all of Quaye-Mensah’s shifts following Ms Furlong’s death and alerted the agency that she worked for.
Mr Majid said: “On behalf of the trust, I once again offer sincere condolences to Louise’s family and friends for their loss.
“The safety of our patients and the quality of care we provide is of paramount importance.
“Sylvia Quaye-Mensah was an agency healthcare support worker at the trust and following Louise’s death we immediately cancelled all shifts and informed her employing agency.
“We are unable to comment further while judicial processes are ongoing.”
This story was amended at 2.35pm on 29 August 2024 following a statement received from the trust confirming that Sylvia Quaye-Mensah was a healthcare support worker, not a nurse as described by police.
