Nurse had 'inappropriate' relationship with patient

Jessica Robinson was a mental health nurse at Cygnet Hospital Wyke where she "failed to uphold a professional and trustworthy standard in a role of significant trust".

Robinson admitted to contacting a patient, deemed to be "extremely vulnerable", outside of her employment hours without clinical justification and entering an inappropriate relationship with them.

This occurred across just under three months between March 24, 2022 and June 16, 2022.

Following a Nursing and Midwifery Council Fitness to Practise virtual hearing, which took place earlier this week, which Robinson did not attend, she was suspended from the profession for 12 months.

Cygnet Hospital Wyke told the Telegraph & Argus patient care will always remain its "top priority".

Details of relationship

Robinson had been a registered mental health nurse since September 2019.

She started working at Cygnet Hospital Wyke, which provides inpatient care for men with complex and challenging mental health conditions, in November 2021.

A report about the relationship was received by the hospital on May 25, 2022, including screenshots of messages sent by Robinson.

Robinson was suspended a day later pending the investigation. 

On June 11 2022, Robinson posted on social media that she was in a relationship with the patient.

'Significant error in judgement'

Robinson accepted her behaviour was a "serious departure from the professional standards".

The report said: "A member of the public would likely find that this conduct was unprofessional and undermines a fundamental tenet of the nursing profession."

The panel concluded that such a relationship "blurred the line between personal and professional roles, potentially harming patient mental health and eroding the essential trust patients and the public place in the nursing profession".

Robinson agreed that she had made a "significant error in judgement" and that the relationship was "entirely inappropriate" and that it "should have never happened".

Ex nurse now works in providing drug and alcohol support

Robinson has not worked as a nurse since she left the hospital.

She is now employed at an organisation providing drug and alcohol support. 

Her employer says Robinson has had no issues since she started earlier this year and they engage in weekly supervision sessions.

Full Cygnet statement

A Cygnet spokesperson said: “We take allegations of misconduct extremely seriously.

"When concerns were raised, the individual was immediately suspended and referred to the appropriate authorities.

"We expect the highest standards of care from our staff and the care of our patients will always remain our top priority.”