A NURSE-turned-influencer has revealed she was treated like a criminal after a patient falsely claimed she was pregnant with his child.
Jessica Thorpe was wrongly suspended after the man, named only as Patient X, said the pair were in an “inappropriate relationship”.
Jessica Thorpe was suspended as a nurse after a patient claimed he got her pregnant[/caption]
At the time, he was a patient on a secure facility for men with mental disorders who have come into contact with the criminal justice system.
She eventually was told she could continue her work with Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust but she resigned a month later in protest.
Jessica was last week awarded £24,118 after she won a claim for unfair dismissal, breach of contract and unlawful deduction of wages.
She has now spoken out about her ordeal for the first time and revealed she was left feeling vulnerable and alone.
Jessica added: “I wasn’t pregnant, not by him or anyone. It was a complete lie.
“It was just one of this patient’s delusional beliefs. But despite this, the allegation was taken as gospel and I was suspended.
“I was absolutely devastated and couldn’t believe what was happening.
“I was assumed to be guilty even though it was an absolutely ridiculous allegation.”
Jessica began working for the trust in early 2020 but was suspended in April that year on basic pay when the claim was made.
A hearing eventually took place in July 2021 – more than a year after the allegations arose – by which time Patient X had passed away.
The tribunal heard how there may have been a “blurring of boundaries” due to the patient “responding well” to the nurse.
The allegation of inappropriate behaviour was not upheld due to a lack of “conclusive evidence”.
Despite the ruling, Jessica was told she would not be returning until a police probe into Patient X’s death was completed.
She said she was left feeling upset and confused by the situation was “immediately isolated” from her colleagues, who assumed she was guilty.
Jessica added: “I felt so vulnerable I installed cameras at my house.
“People assumed I was guilty. I felt bullied. I had also lost the career I loved, and fell into depression.
“It was one of the darkest periods of my life. I had to beg the NHS for counselling.”
During her suspension, the nurse launched a food influencer account on Instagram called “Slice of Jess”, which amassed more than 50,000 followers.
She also began making YouTube videos and started earning money from her content.
Tax returns shown to the tribunal revealed her income from Google soared from £4,211 in 2021 to £19,222 in 2023.
The trust tried to argue that Jessica only resigned from her role as she wanted to “pursue her career as a social media influencer”.
But she said she only started posting content as a “hobby” during her suspension.
The nurse also said she only resigned because the trust failed to address any “gossip” about the “alleged relationship” from colleagues.
Jessica added: “I was uploading pictures of my meals but I never meant it to take off in the way that it did.
“I couldn’t do anything else. I was told that I wasn’t allowed to talk to anyone what was going on or seek other work.
“Taking photographs brought me a little bit of joy.
“It’s not true I left to pursue a career on social media.
“I did apply for a job as a different trust as a community carer and I got it.
“However, when I told them I was suing the trust they wanted a letter saying the allegation hadn’t been upheld but my bosses wouldn’t provide it.
“That’s when I knew I would never work in nursing again.”
Judge Simon Loy said there was an “enormous period” where Jessica was suspended but said the “real issue” arose from the trust’s decision not to allow her back to work after the disciplinary hearing.
He accepted her desire to pursue a career as a social media influencer was “influential” on her decision to leave.
But he added: “However, the tribunal must apply the applicable legal principles.
“If the duration of [Miss Thorpe’s] suspension gave her an opportunity to explore the potential for social media activities to generate income then so be it.”
Jessica is now urging the NHS to review their disciplinary procedures.
She said: “I have been contacted by other NHS workers who’ve been through similar ordeals.
“You are treated like a criminal. It’s really sad to think that I’m not the only one who has gone through it.
“I hope that they will make changes.
“The patient who made the allegation about me did so after his mental health declined whilst he was on the ward. He had also accused doctors of being terrorists.
“I have no ill feeling towards him, he wasn’t well, but I will never understand why he was believed over me.”
Lynne Shaw, executive director of workforce at the trust, said although it was disappointed of the outcome, the trust respects “the findings of the tribunal and will look at what lessons can be learned”.
Jessica sued the trust for unfair dismissal[/caption]
A judge ruled in her favour[/caption]