AN investigation is taking place after a nurse watching a suicidal rape victim fell asleep on the job.

The victim, from Basildon, had been transported to the Priory Hospital Cheadley Royal, in Manchester, after there were no beds available locally.

Two Priory care workers were assigned to travel with her as she was deemed a “high suicide risk”.

One, believed to be employed by agency Achieve Care Solutions, was then pictured asleep in the 25-year-old’s room.

The victim was raped four years ago, and was then a victim of sexual assault, and now suffers from severe PTSD.

Speaking to the Echo, her mum said: “She rang me and said mum, I don’t know what to do, the person watching me is asleep in the room.

“I said straight away to take a photo, but obviously she was all the way up in Manchester on her own, so I couldn’t help too much.

“I rang the hospital and complained, initially they tried to deny it but we got her moved very quickly.

“My daughter has had four hellish years with this, and clearly was still not getting the protection she needed.

“She was a high suicide risk, but she was essentially alone in this room, she could have killed herself.

“She has an extreme fight or flight reaction, we are lucky she was feeling okay a that point, or this could have been much worse.”

The photo was revealed by The Mirror as part of an investigation into overworked and exhausted health care employees being left to care for vulnerable people.

The suggestion was both are being let down.

Other photos showed similar situations at a unit in Chelmsford and one in Hertfordshire.

Achieve Care Solutions said the worker concerned had been sacked.

The Priory Hospital Cheadle Royal said sleeping on duty was “gross misconduct” and they carried out night checks on staff.