Nurse accused of ill-treating patient at Withybush Hospital

Primrose James, 51, now of Victoria Road in Southend-on-Sea, is accused of assaulting the patient after he struck out at her when she and a colleague were changing his bedding on May 31 last year.

She denies an offence of ill treatment of a person who lacks capacity.

Opening the case, prosecutor Georgia Donohue told the jury that the patient had been admitted to the hospital, in Haverfordwest, on January 31, 2022.

“He had mobility issues,” she said. “He was deemed as not having capacity in April of that year.

“He was quite a vulnerable man. Quite frail. Although he was a difficult patient.”

Ms Donohue said the jury would hear evidence from James’ colleague, who had reported an incident.

“At approximately 2am she noticed the patient had become incontinent and needed his bedding to be changed,” she said.

She and James rolled the patient onto his side, changed him and his bedding, then rolled him back onto his back.

“Ms James had hold of [his] arm to place him on his back,” said Ms Donohue.

“He did hit out at Ms Primrose James with his left arm. She did not see whether it made any connection. Immediately, Primrose James smacked [him] to the left side of his face.”

The prosecution alleged that James then prodded the patient “multiple times to his face” while allegedly saying ‘You horrible, horrible man’.

She then allegedly pushed her finger against his nose, pushing his face away.

The alleged incident was reported, and the prosecution said that when James’ superior asked her about the incident, she said she “didn’t hit the patient but lifted her hands up”.

“She said they were changing his bedding and he hit out at her and she blocked him. She denied slapping or poking him at any point,” Ms Donohue said.

“She said the only time she made contact with him was blocking him.”

The trial continues.