A former lead clinical nurse at Castle View Nursing Home in Peel has been struck off following charges relating to six residents.

Ruth Pugh admitted seven charges against the residents between May 2018 and March 2019.

It was alleged that Miss Pugh physically and verbally abused vulnerable residents, used inappropriate language towards residents, and used inappropriate manual handling techniques between August 2018 and March 2019.

Details of the incidents were published in a report from the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC).

It states that the NMC received two referrals, one on October 20, 2018, and another on April 5, 2019, in relation to Miss Pugh’s nursing practice.

In the report, the NMC states that Miss Pugh:

*On an unknown date in May 2018, used inappropriate force by placing your hand over Resident A’s mouth.

*On an unknown date in 2018, used inappropriate force by pushing Resident B’s lower jaw upwards causing Resident B to bite her tongue.

*On an unknown date in 2018, inappropriately force-fed Resident C.

*On an unknown date in August 2018, were physically abusive to Resident D by holding his arms and shaking him back and forwards.

*On August 27, 2018, used inappropriate force on Resident E by pulling her forcibly by the wrists and pulling her forcibly by the arm.

*On March 16, 2019, inappropriately and excessively restrained Resident F by using physical force to grip and hold her arms thereby causing bruising.

*On March 16, 2019, spoke unkindly and with an unnecessarily raised voice to Resident F.

The panel says that Castle View investigated a number of incidents which occurred in 2018. A disciplinary hearing was subsequently held on September 20, 2018, at which Miss Pugh was issued with a final written warning and a comprehensive action plan which included mandatory training and actions.

However, ‘despite this management intervention and further support and training in relation to professional development, and to assist Miss Pugh in carrying out best practice in dementia care and managing vulnerable adults, further incidents of a similar nature occurred which led to Miss Pugh being suspended on March 18, 2019’.

Miss Pugh was dismissed from her post as lead clinical nurse on April 4, 2019, following a second disciplinary hearing. She subsequently admitted to all of the charges when approached by the NMC.

The panel considered her admissions to be ‘clear and unequivocal’.

They were of the view that Miss Pugh’s actions fell ‘significantly short of the standards expected of a registered nurse, and that her actions amounted to a breach of The Code (professional standards of practice and behaviour for nurses and midwives 2015).

Miss Pugh breached the sections regarding treating people as individuals and upholding their dignity; listening to people and responding to their preferences and concerns, acting in the best interests of people at all times and upholding the reputation of [the nursing] profession at all times.

The report released also reveals that the nurse had received a caution order for a period of four years in 2017 as a result of ‘regulatory proceedings brought by the NMC’.

The panel ruled that Miss Pugh’s misconduct put patients at risk of harm and resulted in actual patient harm and she abused her position of trust.

It also noted that the patients in her care were ‘particularly vulnerable dementia patients’.

As a result, Miss Pugh has been struck off with an interim suspension order of 18 months.

In a statement, Caring Homes Ltd, the company behind Castle View Nursing Home, said: ‘We have been working with the Nursing and Midwifery Council to support them with their investigation since we dismissed Ms Pugh in March 2019.’

‘The health and wellbeing of residents is our absolute priority, and we will always act to put their interests first.’