Emily Moore: Nurse on trial Tees Esq & Wear Valleys trust records show teenagers kept ‘safe’

An expert witness has told a criminal court that the care given to a County Durham teenager who took her own life was not dangerous.

Tees Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust is being prosecuted by the Care Quality Commission over the death of 18-year-old Emily Moore from Shildon in February 2020.

Emily died at Lanchester Road Hospital in Durham, and the CQC alleges the trust failed to provide safe care and treatment, exposing her to a significant risk of avoidable harm.

Tim Bryson, an independent mental health nurse, told the court that although there were flaws in Emily’s care plan, he believed it did not put her at risk of serious harm and would encourage self-care. He said no.

He said he had reviewed the plan and thought it was fairly typical of many care plans he had seen across mental health services, and in some respects better than typical. .

Defense barrister Paul Greaney KC asked Mr Bryson: “Do you agree that if this care plan were to be deemed criminally dangerous it would cause problems across the sector?”

Mr Bryson answered “yes”, adding: “I think the staff on the ward had a reasonable understanding of the risks to Emily.”

Under cross-examination by Jason Pitter KC, Mr Bryson admitted some of the plans were formulaic and could be improved, but the care records he had seen kept Emily safe. He said he believed that.

Mr Bryson is one of three expert witnesses to give evidence at Teesside Magistrates’ Court this week.

Independent mental health nurse Tim McDougall previously told the court he believed the plans were inadequate and of “poor quality”.

He said elements of Emily’s care were unsafe, adding: “While we cannot say they caused Emily any harm, they may have contributed.”

The trial at Teesside Magistrates’ Court is being heard by District Judge Marie Mallon, who is expected to return a verdict early next week.

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