A senior mental health nurse has recounted the moment of sheer horror and disbelief she experienced upon discovering a vulnerable female patient who had bled to death following a sexual assault by another patient within a supposedly secure NHS facility.
The tragic incident unfolded at the John Howard Centre in Hackney, East London, a medium-secure unit run by the East London NHS Foundation Trust. The victim, a 23-year-old woman who cannot be named for legal reasons, was found unresponsive in her bed after the alleged assault by a male patient.
A System's Catastrophic Failure
Giving evidence at an inquest into the young woman’s death, Nurse Yvonne Murphy described the frantic efforts to save her. She testified that the patient had suffered a catastrophic haemorrhage from a severe vaginal tear. Despite immediate emergency intervention, including CPR and the administration of four units of blood, they were unable to stabilise her.
‘I was shocked,’ Murphy stated. ‘I couldn't believe what was happening. I've never had a patient bleed like that before.’ The inquest heard that the victim had been deemed a high risk to herself, but not necessarily to others, raising serious questions about patient monitoring and room allocation protocols.
Unanswered Questions and a Family's Grief
The case has exposed potentially critical failings in the hospital's procedures. The male patient, who has a known history of sexual offending and was also an inpatient at the unit, was sharing the same corridor. The inquest is examining why these two vulnerable individuals were placed in such close proximity.
The victim’s family, who attended the hearing at Barking Town Hall, are seeking answers about how such a brutal attack could occur under the care of the NHS. This incident has sent shockwaves through the trust and prompted a serious incident investigation, highlighting urgent concerns over the safety of vulnerable patients in mental health settings.
