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Duchess of Cambridge hoax call nurse blamed herself, inquest told Duchess of Cambridge hoax call nurse blamed herself, inquest told
(8 months later)
A nurse found hanged after being hoaxed by an Australian radio station over the Duchess of Cambridge's admission to hospital blamed herself and feared facing her bosses, an inquest heard.A nurse found hanged after being hoaxed by an Australian radio station over the Duchess of Cambridge's admission to hospital blamed herself and feared facing her bosses, an inquest heard.
Hours before her death, Jacintha Saldanha, 46, emailed a colleague: "I feel I am to blame, after all it was my fault. I don't know how to face the bosses tomorrow. I feel so ashamed of myself."Hours before her death, Jacintha Saldanha, 46, emailed a colleague: "I feel I am to blame, after all it was my fault. I don't know how to face the bosses tomorrow. I feel so ashamed of myself."
The email was sent two days after Saldanha, a night sister at the King Edward VII hospital in London, received a call from two Sydney radio Djs pretending to be the Queen and Prince Charles, and inquiring about the condition of the duchess, who was being treated there for severe morning sickness.The email was sent two days after Saldanha, a night sister at the King Edward VII hospital in London, received a call from two Sydney radio Djs pretending to be the Queen and Prince Charles, and inquiring about the condition of the duchess, who was being treated there for severe morning sickness.
Coroner Dr Fiona Wilcox, sitting at the high court in London, heard Saldanha, the most senior nurse on duty, took the call at 5.30am on 4 December 2102, and passed it on to the nurse caring for the duchess, who revealed details of her condition. The call was later broadcast. Coroner Dr Fiona Wilcox, sitting at the high court in London, heard Saldanha, the most senior nurse on duty, took the call at 5.30am on 4 December 2102, and passed it on to the nurse caring for the duchess, who revealed details of her condition. The call was later broadcast.
Giving evidence, John Lofthouse, then the hospital's CEO, said the hospital had found itself "at the centre of a worldwide media storm" after Sydney's 2Day FM broadcast the prank conducted by its presenters Mel Greig, who attended the inquest, and Mike Christian, Giving evidence, John Lofthouse, then the hospital's CEO, said the hospital had found itself "at the centre of a worldwide media storm" after Sydney's 2Day FM broadcast the prank conducted by its presenters Mel Greig, who attended the inquest, and Mike Christian,
Protocol dictated that Saldanha should have taken the caller's number and ended the call so that verification of identity could be conducted, he said.Protocol dictated that Saldanha should have taken the caller's number and ended the call so that verification of identity could be conducted, he said.
A meeting of senior management was held, and while some believed the two nurses should be disciplined for breaching protocol, his view and that of the matron and deputy matron, was "they had been hoaxed and should be treated as victims", he said. Asked if they would have been disciplined, he replied: "Categorically that was not going to happen."A meeting of senior management was held, and while some believed the two nurses should be disciplined for breaching protocol, his view and that of the matron and deputy matron, was "they had been hoaxed and should be treated as victims", he said. Asked if they would have been disciplined, he replied: "Categorically that was not going to happen."
The inquest has heard Saldanha, a mother of two, was found hanged in the hospital's nurses' quarters on 7 December. She had sent emails to some colleagues saying she was to blame and indicating she was very upset and would accept punishment.The inquest has heard Saldanha, a mother of two, was found hanged in the hospital's nurses' quarters on 7 December. She had sent emails to some colleagues saying she was to blame and indicating she was very upset and would accept punishment.
Lofthouse said she was regarded as "a well-balanced, robust, stable individual whose death took us all by shock".Lofthouse said she was regarded as "a well-balanced, robust, stable individual whose death took us all by shock".
She had worked a night shift after the hoax, he said, adding that "no alarm bells rang for any of us".She had worked a night shift after the hoax, he said, adding that "no alarm bells rang for any of us".
"If any of us in the management team had any inking of any fragility on the part of Jacintha's emotional state, if we had any idea whatsoever of the possibility she might take her life … we would have put our arms around her, literally and metaphorically.""If any of us in the management team had any inking of any fragility on the part of Jacintha's emotional state, if we had any idea whatsoever of the possibility she might take her life … we would have put our arms around her, literally and metaphorically."
A meeting was due to be held the following Monday to discuss lessons learned, he said.A meeting was due to be held the following Monday to discuss lessons learned, he said.
Saldanha had missed a training day on 6 December, but staff were not concerned, he said, because her son had injured himself playing football, and it was "a reasonable assumption" she had returned to Bristol, where she lived with her family when not working at the hospital.Saldanha had missed a training day on 6 December, but staff were not concerned, he said, because her son had injured himself playing football, and it was "a reasonable assumption" she had returned to Bristol, where she lived with her family when not working at the hospital.
The inquest heard Saldanha's family had highlighted to police investigators a lack of support from the hospital.The inquest heard Saldanha's family had highlighted to police investigators a lack of support from the hospital.
Questioned by John Cooper QC, for Saldanha's family, Lofthouse defended the hospital's policy at the time in which the senior night sister answered phone calls at night in the absence of a receptionist. Night calls were rare, he said. Some nights there were none, other nights there were perhaps four. He wanted to correct any impression of the night sister "running around, administering an injection, giving tablets, then the phone rings and they have to answer that as well".Questioned by John Cooper QC, for Saldanha's family, Lofthouse defended the hospital's policy at the time in which the senior night sister answered phone calls at night in the absence of a receptionist. Night calls were rare, he said. Some nights there were none, other nights there were perhaps four. He wanted to correct any impression of the night sister "running around, administering an injection, giving tablets, then the phone rings and they have to answer that as well".
He added: "On the rare occasion when the phone rings, they are best placed to answer it as the most senior nurse in the building at the time."He added: "On the rare occasion when the phone rings, they are best placed to answer it as the most senior nurse in the building at the time."
Asked by Cooper if the hospital could have done more, Lofthouse said while there was global publicity about the hoax, Saldanha had not been named. If she had "we would have dealt with it differently, we would have protected her in whatever way we needed to".Asked by Cooper if the hospital could have done more, Lofthouse said while there was global publicity about the hoax, Saldanha had not been named. If she had "we would have dealt with it differently, we would have protected her in whatever way we needed to".
Lofthouse said in a note left by Saldanha, addressed to him, her matron and deputy matron, she wrote: "Please accept my apologies. I am truly sorry. Thank you for all your support." He said the note indicated she was "satisfied" with the support.Lofthouse said in a note left by Saldanha, addressed to him, her matron and deputy matron, she wrote: "Please accept my apologies. I am truly sorry. Thank you for all your support." He said the note indicated she was "satisfied" with the support.
Saldanha left two other notes. One was addressed to a junior nurse she was mentoring, and who had accused Saldanha of "bullying and harassment". The grievance was not upheld, the inquest heard. The other note indicated "personal wishes".Saldanha left two other notes. One was addressed to a junior nurse she was mentoring, and who had accused Saldanha of "bullying and harassment". The grievance was not upheld, the inquest heard. The other note indicated "personal wishes".
She had searched online for news reports about the hoax on her laptop, and also accessed suicide prevention sites, the inquest heard .She had searched online for news reports about the hoax on her laptop, and also accessed suicide prevention sites, the inquest heard .
The coroner has retired to consider her verdict.The coroner has retired to consider her verdict.