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Jailed: Hospital carers who physically and verbally abused patients... one even told an elderly woman she was dead and put a sheet over her
Akousa Sakyiwaa and Sharmila Gunda were both found guilty of neglect Sakyiwaa, 38, was jailed for 12 months at Snaresbrook Crown Court Sharmila Gunda, 36, was given a five month prison sentence Pair worked on the Beech Ward at Whipps Cross Hospital in East London
By Suzannah Hills PUBLISHED: 13:47, 23 August 2013 | UPDATED: 16:11, 23 August 2013

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Two healthcare assistants who abused elderly female patients on the geriatric ward of a hospital were jailed today. Akousa Sakyiwaa, 38, was convicted of four counts of ill-treatment and neglect of patients on Beech Ward at Whipps Cross University Hospital in Leytonstone, east London, between February and April last year. Sharmila Gunda, 36, was found guilty of one count of neglect and one count of assault by beating an elderly patient in her care following a trial in June.

Behind bars: Akousa Sakyiw aa, 38, pictured left, w as jailed for 12 m onths for four counts of ill-treatm ent and neglect of patients w hile Sharm ila Gunda, 36, pictured right, w as given a five m onth prison sentence for one count of neglect and one count of assault by beating an elderly patient in her care

Sakyiwaa, of Leytonstone, was jailed for 12 months while Gunda, of Ilford, was given a five month prison sentence at London's Snaresbrook Crown Court.

Fellow healthcare assistant Annette Jackson, 33, of Hounslow, west London, was given a two month suspended sentence and ordered to complete 100 hours unpaid work after being convicted of one count of ill-treatment or neglect.

Spared jail: Healthcare assistant Annette Jackson, 33, w as given a tw o-m onth suspended sentence for neglecting patient Barbara Jones

Delivering his sentence, Judge Timothy Lamb QC said the women's actions had 'damaged patient trust' in the NHS. Addressing the defendants, Mr Lamb said: 'In short, by your offending you have let down your colleagues, you have damaged patient trust and you have undermined the quality of care for the elderly and vulnerable at Whipps Cross.' The three women were charged following a Metropolitan Police inquiry into the hospital after a student nurse acted as a whistleblower. The women would physically and verbally abuse patients, often telling them to shut up, as well as handling them in a rough and aggressive manner, police said. Sakyiwaa, of Leytonstone, Jackson, of Hounslow; and Gunda, of Ilford, were responsible for looking after elderly female patients with various physical and mental conditions including dementia. June Evans, who is wheelchair bound, was the only patient still alive or well enough to come to court to give evidence against them. The other patients are too ill or suffer from dementia. In a statement read to the court, she said: 'Since the incident that took place last year I have completely lost trust in the health service.

The incidents occurred betw een February 27 to April 30 last year on Beech Ward at Whipps Cross Hospital in east London

'I lost faith in my GP, the ambulance service and hospitals in general.' Ms Evans discharged herself from the hospital following the assault and was in a state of distress when she had to return to Whipps Cross for further treatment. 'I wanted to die,' she said. 'I thought why couldn't I have a heart attack and end it.'

STAFFORD HOSPITAL INQUIRY

A police inquiry into alleged offences committed against a health campaigner who highlighted failings at a scandal-plagued hospital has been unable to identify those responsible. Staffordshire Police said it had finished detailed inquiries into offences reported by Cure the NHS founder Julie Bailey, whose mother Bella died at Stafford Hospital in 2007. Ms Bailey, who battled to expose hundreds of needless deaths at the hospital, moved out of Stafford earlier this year following the desecration of her mother's grave. The campaigner believes the threats made against her by some local people, which also included online abuse, were politically-motivated. Officers from Staffordshire Police, which will reopen its inquiry if new evidence comes to light, are still appealing for information. In a statement issued by the force, a police spokesman said: 'After seeing media reports about alleged incidents, we immediately contacted Ms Bailey to get further information. 'Detectives were made aware of a number of issues, including damage to flowers and vases at her mother's grave.

'Clearly, such offences are completely unacceptable. 'We began an investigation which involved taking witness statements, carrying out inquiries at incident locations and examining CCTV footage. 'We've now finished our detailed inquiries and, at this stage, we have not been able to recover evidence which could help us identify offenders.' A public inquiry into 'appalling' failings at the Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust, which published its final report in February, found that hundreds of patients were mistreated at the trust between 2005 and 2009. Previous reports into the Trust estimated that as many as 1,200 patients may have died needlessly while in its care. Administrators recommended last month that the Trust should be dissolved and some services at Stafford Hospital should be cut. In a statement, Ms Bailey said she was disappointed people had seen fit to abuse her for attempting to bring to light problems in the NHS. 'One of the biggest problems at Mid Staffordshire is still the denial about what happened and that is what's led to me being abused,' she said. Sakyiwaa was found guilty of holding a bed sheet over 87-year-old Joan Massetts head and telling her she was dead. She pushed Ms Massetts breasts in another incident and forcefully twisted her mouth which was both 'demeaning and completely unnecessary'. Sakyiwaa shouted at 88-year-old patient Elizabeth Toussaint to force her to sit in a chair and slapped Louise Hodges, 92, after cleaning her, the hearing was told. Jackson was found guilty of one count of neglecting patient Barbara Jones, while Gunda was found guilty of one charge of neglect and one charge of assault by beating June Evans. Jurors heard the healthcare assistants were arrested after a student nurse Lucy Brown whistleblew on them following a placement on the ward last Spring. John McNally, prosecuting, said: 'The conduct complained of simply had no place on any ward. It cannot be justified.' Snaresbrook Crown Court heard 92-year-old Lily Oliver was admitted to the ward on March 27, 2012, suffering from septic arthritis in her left knee. Mr McNally told jurors: 'She was bed bound and extremely frail and it is the experts professional opinion that she suffered from dementia and wasnt able to make her own decisions. 'During the time she was on Beech Ward she was under the care of Akousa Sakyiwaa. 'Lucy Brown described Akousa Sakyiwaa as being extremely rough with Lily Oliver. 'In the course of one encounter Lucy Brown noted that when Miss Olivers bandages were removed Miss Oliver said mind my leg. 'After that Akousa Sakyiwaa grabbed her left knee with both her hands and pushed it towards Lucy Brown. 'This caused her to scream in pain and turn pale before falling silent. That, we say, is what constitutes ill treatment for that count.' Opening the case, Mr McNally said: 'The prosecution case is they variously ill treated patients either by positive actions towards them or by failing to look after them when they should have. 'The defendants worked on a geriatric ward and were trusted to provide the most basic tasks.

'There is little doubt some of these would have been unpleasant and that elderly and demented patients could be obstructive. 'However, this factor only serves to highlight the vulnerability of these patients and outline the fact that providing care professionally was the responsibility of each defendant. 'An entitlement for proper care should not be a matter of chance given at the whim of the carer.' The court heard the ward has since closed down following a Metropolitan Police investigation into alleged abuse. Barts Health NHS trust, which runs the hospital, apologised to patients following the verdicts and stressed it had a 'zero tolerance approach' to any form of neglect or ill-treatment.

Co-defendants: Sharm ila Gunda (left) Gunda w as found guilty of one charge of neglect and one charge of assault by beating June Evans w hile Annette Jackson (right) w as found guilty of one count of neglecting patient Barbara Jones

In a statement, the trust said: 'We apologise unreservedly to the patients of Beech Ward and their families for the indefensible failings in their treatment during their time in our care. 'There can be no place under any circumstances for such behaviour in our trust or in the wider NHS.' It added that following an internal disciplinary investigation all three women had their contracts of employment terminated.

Healthcare w orker Akousa Sakyiw aa placed a sheet over one patient's head and told her she w as dead

It added: 'We take a zero tolerance approach to any form of neglect or ill-treatment of our patients and applaud the student nurses who showed courage and integrity in raising the alarm. 'It is the duty of every member of staff to report such behaviour and we will actively encourage and support this through our whistleblowing policy which is made clear to all staff on day one of their employment with the Trust, with ongoing reminders to existing staff during regular statutory and mandatory training. 'Moreover, we will take action against any member of staff who turns a blind eye, or fails to take immediate and appropriate action, if they witness any form of abuse or negligence.' Barts Health NHS Trust was issued with three formal warnings last week after inspectors found 'unsafe' conditions at Whipps Cross including filthy maternity wards and water placed out of the reach of elderly patients. The trust had 'failed to protect the safety and welfare of patients' and must now make 'urgent improvements' following unannounced inspections in May and June, the Care Quality Commission

(CQC) said. Following the sentencing, Detective Sergeant Tammy Dempsey, from the Met's Community Safety Unit in Waltham Forest, said: 'These three women had a responsibility for the welfare of those who were under their care. 'The public and families of these elderly patients have a right to expect that they will be treated with respect and looked after in an appropriate manner. 'Gunda, Jackson and Sakyiwaa let everyone down and it's right that they have been found guilty at court. 'I would like to take this opportunity to thank those who had the courage to come forward and report these offences and give their evidence in court.'

John McNally, prosecuting, told the jury at Snaresbrook Crow n Court that the three w om en w ere responsible for looking after elderly fem ale patients w ith various physical and m ental conditions including dem entia

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Comments (31)
Newest Oldest Best rated Worst rated View newest 10 Evil scum, wait until they are old and frail, perhaps their evil deeds will come back to haunt them..!!! - jan, uk, United Kingdom, 23/8/2013 16:43 Click to rate Report abuse May God preserve us from losing our independence and being subject to these monsters. - liquafruta, London, United Kingdom, 23/8/2013 16:41 Click to rate Report abuse Rating 566 Rating 615

did nobody at the top everlook into the wards,to see how the staff coped were they ever trained or just told to get on with it. - dave1066, eastbourne, United Kingdom, 23/8/2013 16:38 Click to rate Report abuse Pathetic sentences! - St George, Burford, United Kingdom, 23/8/2013 16:34 Click to rate Report abuse This being publicised doesn't mean the whole of the NHS is like this, you get nasty people in all walks of life. It's just a shame these nasty people were nurses. The NHS doesn't get the credit it should, my baby has been in hospital 6 times and I haven't had a complaint yet. The bad stories are quickly put in the papers but what about all the brilliant things that happen everyday? - kjsimpson210607, Leeds, 23/8/2013 16:28 Click to rate Report abuse I had my bab there and there was a horrible nurse there who I refused have her treat me! not everyone is mean I had a lovely nurse who worked pastbher hours to be with me! Thank you tonall the wonderful nurses xx - lisa, Essex, 23/08/2013 14:33. Thank you Lisa, some of us do actually care and try to help everyone individually "you don't love them but someone does - treat them as if they were your own relative" was instilled in me at uni several years ago x - registered nurse, UK, 23/8/2013 16:24 Click to rate Report abuse Well done, Lucy Brown, for reporting these evil creatures. The sentences are nowhere near long enough. To call these Carers is completely wrong. They deserve a much harsher punishment .............. Why did it take a student nurse to report these incidents? Surely there was always a Registered nurse on duty, or the Ward Manager> Not doing very well with the management skills! - B.Ware, Animal Farm, United Kingdom, 23/8/2013 16:17 Click to rate Report abuse Horrible women! - LauraJayne, Wolverhampton, United Kingdom, 23/8/2013 16:14 Click to rate Report abuse Every time something like this crops up we they always apologise unreservedly & say that they will strive to make sure this happens again but hey ho it will only be until the next dreadful episode is brought to light & we start all over again, nothing will change for the better there are some ver unkind, nasty people about who prey on the vulnerable - Fluffy, Swansea, United Kingdom, 23/8/2013 16:14 Click to rate Rating 182 Rating 274 Rating 366 Rating 196 Rating 86 Rating 465 Rating 347

Report abuse Disgusting behaviour! One day these nurses will be old and frail..... Boy will they be sorry when they remember how they treated those poor old women l! They are still human too! - chloe-anne, Carlow Ireland, 23/8/2013 16:14 Click to rate Report abuse Lucy Brown, the whistle blower has the makings of a good nurse. She was not prepared to stand by and let this abuse of vulnerable people carry on and I hope the NHS recognise that fact. At the same time Whipps Cross Hospital employed these abusers, why, were they cheap labour? Someone always has to pay when corners are cut and it was the frail patients on this ward from hell. Why should their final days be so appalling? - jillox, Hampshire, United Kingdom, 23/8/2013 16:06 Click to rate Report abuse The sentence was not long enough. These evil women got off too lightly. - jack, Hove, 23/8/2013 16:06 Click to rate Report abuse The true punishment will come to them one day.....they will get old too - Mrs RB, North Yorkshire, UK, 23/8/2013 16:06 Click to rate Report abuse these two look like a pair of thugs they shouldn't never be allowed to look after anybody ever again! - TheHistorian, Lichfield UK, 23/8/2013 16:04 Click to rate Report abuse These 2 look like lifers! - Hungariansalami, Bkscsaba, Hungary, 23/8/2013 16:03 Click to rate Report abuse Only a student nurse saw what was going on?... - puzcat, London, 23/8/2013 16:02 Click to rate Report abuse At last, some real consequences for the despicable maltreatment of those who haven't been listened to in the past! What a brave lady to give evidence and well done student nurse for whistle blowing. Rating 81 Rating 76 Rating 82 Rating 69 Rating 79 Rating 77 Rating 191

- Shocking, London, 23/8/2013 15:49 Click to rate Report abuse Yes, healthcare is expensive in the US but as the old saying goes, you get what you pay for. In the US, where most hospitals are businesses that compete for your patronage, having a stay in hospital is getting to be almost like being at a spa! I recently had a heart attack & spent 9 days in ICU. After that, I went to a regular room. In ICU, my hair was in a mess so one nurse carefully brushed & braided my hair for me. If they saw my daughter was visiting, they brought her food & drink without us having to ask. In the step-down unit, I had my own healthcare aide who washed my hair for me, brought me snacks late at night, sat & talked with me when I was lonely, & one ICU nurse came down to see how I was getting on & spent her whole break with me. I usually sleep with a fan running so they brought me one. Extra towels? Another pillow? Body lotion? No problem! If you think this is all fluff, I had less than a 10% chance to live. I am now fit & healthy & very thankful. ORMC RAWKS! - Jules, Florida, 23/8/2013 15:48 Click to rate Report abuse Yes, well done that student nurse - but it begs the question 'Why didn't the Ward Sister /Charge Nurse pick up on this, nor indeed any of the other permanent staff?' It's worrying that this was left for a student nurse to highlight. We need more like her. - The Realist, Out West, 23/8/2013 15:47 Click to rate Report abuse Very Sad state of affairs! Tip of the iceberg! - William, Warwickshire, UK, 23/8/2013 15:47 Click to rate Report abuse Lower than pond scum to do that to helpless, frail old people. - Susie 15, Melbourne, Australia, 23/8/2013 15:45 Click to rate Report abuse I suppose "Lessons will be learned" yet again - minnie, Northampton, United Kingdom, 23/8/2013 15:43 Click to rate Report abuse It is disgraceful and they deserved to be jailed. That said, they were expected to care and clean up old people or patients with dementia etc which is care that thier own relatives weren't prepared top do. - Catherine Armstrong, Lincoln, United Kingdom, 23/8/2013 15:35 Click to rate Report abuse Rating 158 Rating 78 Rating 157 Rating 102 Rating 236 Rating 45 Rating 212

I had my bab there and there was a horrible nurse there who I refused have her treat me! not everyone is mean I had a lovely nurse who worked pastbher hours to be with me! Thank you tonall the wonderful nurses xx - lisa, Essex, 23/8/2013 15:33 Click to rate Report abuse This is so sickening to read my nan has dementia not so bad just yet but progressive and I would never dream of beating her it's disgusting and vile and these people need to crawl in a hole and never come out. Makes me so mad care homes are suppost to be nice places were you can rest before the end of your years I'm just glad my nan lives with me and after reading so many stories no matter how bad she became I would never put her in a home it's saddening - Jessiejp, London, United Kingdom, 23/8/2013 15:32 Click to rate Report abuse They should never ever be employed in that kind of work again, who said the middle ages were barbaric, it ain't that much different today. - Lionel 70, Macclesfield, United Kingdom, 23/8/2013 15:31 Click to rate Report abuse Carers from Hell ! Poor old folk having to suffer at the hands of these people. At least someone had the courage to be a witness. - graham, Tessy sur Vire, France, 23/8/2013 15:30 Click to rate Report abuse Finally, somebody actually gets to carry some blame in our NHS system. Unfortunately its the low level assistants who will carry the can for the supervisors who ignored what was happening. Like Nicholson, the real culprits will all walk away with big publicly funded payoffs.. These women should be banned from any jobs in the caring sector in future, the word caring seems to be absent from their vocabularies. - Smujsmith, Pig-atop-the-hill, United Kingdom, 23/8/2013 15:28 Click to rate Report abuse Very poor leadership. Glad I do not work there anymore and do not wish to be a patient either!!!!! - Meter Reader, London, United Kingdom, 23/8/2013 15:25 Click to rate Report abuse This is terrible! More should be done from the NHS to ensure these stuff dont happen again..Especially after stafford hospital report you would have expected this to stop! - doobanation, London, United Kingdom, 23/8/2013 14:06 Click to rate Report abuse Rating 324 Rating 82 Rating 64 Rating 77 Rating 118 Rating 74 Rating 41

Well done to the student nurse for speaking up! - ciara, somerset, 23/8/2013 14:04 Click to rate Report abuse Share this comment The views expressed in the contents above are those of our users and do not necessarily reflect the views of MailOnline. Rating 662

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