Suspended sentence for nurse over Rugby care home neglect

[dutchman]

A care home nurse has been given a suspended jail term over the neglect of an 87-year-old resident



Catalina Ferchiu was previously found guilty of the wilful neglect of Rachael Smith at Overslade Care Home in Rugby, Warwickshire, in 2018.

At Warwick Crown Court on Monday, Ferchiu was handed a a 20-month sentence suspended for 18 months.

Judge Peter Cooke said she had displayed "an entirely cavalier attitude" to Mrs Smith's care.

Ferchiu's trial had been told Mrs Smith suffered from incapacity caused by an earlier stroke.

The court had been told 55-year-old Ferchiu failed to act after she found Mrs Smith had been sick and had a bruise on her shoulder in 2018.

"Rachael Smith was a lady whose mental faculties were substantially intact," the judge said.

"Sadly, one can only assume therefore that she was aware that she was descending deeper and deeper into illness... that she was aware that nobody was coming to help her."

Mrs Smith was taken to hospital after a handover when another nurse "took one look" at her and dialled 999, the court heard.

She died three weeks later, but the jury heard there was no evidence to suggest the neglect contributed to her death.

Judge Cooke said, although the neglect represented very serious offending, factors including Ferchiu's loss of career allowed him to pass a suspended sentence.

"Notwithstanding the nightmare to which Rachael Smith was subjected and the harm which was done, yours is not a case which means that a middle-aged woman of otherwise exemplary character must go immediately into custody," he said.

[dutchman]

Ferchiu, of Pool Close, Rugby, was also ordered to complete 240 hours of unpaid work.

In an old people's home no doubt?