A nurse upset a mentally-ill patient by telling them they did not deserve any presents in the run up to Christmas, an investigation has found.

Louise Jane Brooks was working at Colchester’s Fairview Hospital, which is now known as Cygnet Hospital, when she made the comment.

She also refused to get a patient a cup of coffee ‘without justification’ and told another to ‘get this little b**** out of my sight’.

The Nursing and Midwifery Council found Ms Brooks guilty of misconduct following the hearing.

A panel gave her a caution order for three years following mitigation held in private, which stated Ms Brooks was unwell at the time.

The panel heard the incidents happened in December 2016 at the Mile End hospital.

Other claims put to the panel, which were not found proved, included Ms Brooks allegedly taunting a distressed patient with a toy monkey.

A report into the findings stated: “The panel was of the view that you had breached fundamental tenets of the profession, to provide kind and compassionate care to patients.

“The panel has regard to its earlier findings that you had a derogatory attitude towards patients and that in certain situations you behaved in a confrontational manner, as opposed to de-escalating the situation as would be expected of any nurse particularly one with your level of experience.

“Taken cumulatively, the panel found that your actions of the kind found proved did fall seriously short of the conduct and standards expected of a nurse and as such amounted to misconduct.”

The panel found Ms Brooks also made comments about colleagues.

In one case she said of a colleague who was ill “well that’s what happens when you have so many late nights at the pub”.

The report stated: “The panel was of the view that reasoned members of the public and fellow professionals would find your misconduct at the time of these charges deplorable.

“Accordingly, the panel determined that a finding of impairment was necessary on public interest grounds, in order to send a message about the standards of behaviour expected of registered nurses, and to uphold public confidence in the profession and its regulator.”

The panel heard Ms Brooks was “dismissed” from her position at the hospital in March 2017 following an investigation.

Mike McQuaid, Chief Operating Officer at Cygnet Health Care, said: “Louise Brooks was employed by Fairview Hospital between October 2015 until March 2017. 

"As soon as the hospital became aware of the allegations made by staff against Ms Brooks she was suspended, her conduct was reported to the NMC and, following an internal investigation, she was dismissed in March 2017.

“The care of our patients, some of the most vulnerable in our society, is our absolute priority.

"We take any allegations of misconduct extremely seriously and implement immediate remedial action.”