Healthcare assistant jailed for negligence

A healthcare assistant has been jailed for negligence after a patient at a mental health unit took her own life.

Rebecca Welch failed to carry out appropriate observations on the welfare of Amelia Rose at Millbrook Mental Health Unit in Sutton-in-Ashfield. 

Welch was tasked with checking the 31-year-old patient at 10-minute intervals from 1pm on 31 January 2020.

CCTV footage revealed that Welch failed to conduct any checks at all before Amelia was found by another member of staff at 1.53pm.

Amelia was transferred to King’s Mill Hospital but died the next day. 

It was also discovered during investigations that Welch had falsely recorded observations every 10 minutes in a log. 

An inquest held in 2022 found Amelia had most likely died by her own hand but it was not possible to determine her intent. 

Following a detailed investigation by detectives, Welch was subsequently charged with wilful neglect by a careworker.

Welch, aged 29, pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing and was convicted and sentenced to one year in jail at Nottingham Crown Court on Wednesday (4 September).

In a statement, Amelia’s parents said:

“Our beautiful, fun-loving, caring and intelligent daughter Amelia Rose died aged 31, in what should have been the prime of her life.

“Amelia would have had her whole life ahead of her if she had been given the help she so desperately pleaded for, but in three short days of admission to Millbrook, due to the complete lack of care by Rebecca Welch, she was left to die unnecessarily.

“We will never see the wonderful person she would have become, a loving daughter, sister, aunty and potentially a mother. Our lives will never be the same again.”

Detective Inspector Clare Gibson, of Nottinghamshire Police, said:

“This has been an incredibly difficult few years for Amelia’s family and friends and my thoughts are with them following today’s sentencing. 

“Welch’s failure to carry out mandatory observations, lost any opportunity to prevent Amelia taking these actions or possible interventions to save her life. 

“The creation of false records in an attempt to cover her back was particularly damning. 

“I would like to thank Amelia’s loved ones for their dignified determination to pursue these criminal charges and hope that today provides them with some closure.”