‘Deplorable’ nurse suspended for a year after kicking a patient in the head

By Robert Firth, Local Democracy Reporter

A nurse has been struck off for a year after allegedly kicking a patient in the head at a hospital.

Kadiatu Jalloh also thrust a chair at the unnamed man’s head while he was being restrained at Cygnet Hospital Blackheath in March 2020, it is said. The private hospital cares for men with mental health problems.

A Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) panel – which hears cases against nurses – said that Jalloh’s behaviour was a “serious departure” from the standards nurses are expected to maintain and amounted to misconduct.

She was suspended for 12 months by a panel of nurses following a hearing earlier in January.

A healthcare assistant who allegedly witnessed Jalloh kick the man, known only as Patient A, recalled being “livid… angry and upset” following the incident at the hospital on March 11, 2020, according to the NMC’s report of the hearing.

Jalloh denied kicking the patient or thrusting a chair towards him, claiming she was pulling her leg away from him and giving the chair to another nurse.

But the panel found both charges proved after viewing CCTV footage and taking evidence from a man, known only as Mr 1, a healthcare assistant at Cygnet Hospital Blackheath.

Describing Jalloh’s behaviour as “deplorable,” the panel said her actions were a “serious departure from the standards expected of a registered nurse.”

Minutes of the panel’s decision read: “It [the panel] bore in mind that Patient A had struck you prior to the hospital staff restraining him and considered that your reaction, in the fast moving events… was a reaction to this.

“However, the panel considered that there still would have been an expectation for a nurse of your standing and experience to control your reaction and remain professional.

“The panel also bore in mind that you were the nurse in charge during this incident and noted that, in your oral evidence, you stated that it was your role to ensure the restraint was applied properly. Instead, the panel noted that you thrust a chair in the direction of where Patient A was facing and kicked him at least once.”

Following the incident, Jalloh was suspended from the hospital while an investigation into her behaviour took place. Cygnet Health Care sacked her in May 2020 on the grounds of gross misconduct after a disciplinary hearing.

A spokesman for Cygnet Health Care said: “[We] operate a zero tolerance policy on abuse and the incident in question was immediately reported to the appropriate authorities.

“The individual concerned was immediately suspended and, following a thorough internal investigation, was subsequently dismissed.

“We take allegations of wrongdoing extremely seriously and the care of our patients will always remain our top priority.”

Pictured top: Cygnet Hospital in Blackheath (Picture: Google Street View)