A former Aberdeenshire care home boss who was suspended following the death of an 89-year-old patient has been suspended from the nursing register.
Pamela Tavendale was the manger of Care UK-run Mowat Court, in Stonehaven when Gladys Burr died in February 2012.
She faced a series of allegations about her treatment of several residents including Mrs Burr, who suffered 54 accidents during her four months at the home while Ms Tavendale was in charge, from January to October 2012.
The Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) yesterday struck Ms Tavendale from the register for a period of 12 months after finding her fitness to practice impaired.
Ten of the 24 charges brought against her by the NMC were proven, while 14 were not.
Among those proven by the council was that Ms Tavendale allowed staff to “inappropriately restrain” Mrs Burr and that she “did not conduct an investigation into the complaints” raised by her family.
It also found Ms Tavendale did not provide “an update or substantive response to the concerns raised” by Mrs Burr’s relatives, nor log complaints and concerns relating to her on the home’s computer system or report these to the regional director of Care UK.
However, claims that Mrs Tavendale “behaved in an unsympathetic or inappropriate manner” towards one of Mrs Burr’s relatives following her death were not proven.
Also unproven were claims that the emotional and physical needs of Mrs Burr and other residents was not provided through “appropriate social activities”.
Accusations that the nutritional needs of Mrs Burr and others were not met at meal times and that inadequate staffing levels were in place at the time to meet resident’s needs were also dropped.
Other claims that Ms Tavendale failed to review accident and incident reports in relation to another patient, know as Resident B, to ensure that remedial action was taken were also proved.
The NMC concluded: “In reaching its decision, the panel had regard to its findings and its decision to make a suspension order for a period of 12 months. To do otherwise would be inconsistent with its earlier findings and decision.”