Pontypridd care home manager struck off register

An adult care home manager has been struck off the Register of Social Care Workers for making offensive comments to a vulnerable resident in her care.

Patricia Thomas, formerly employed the Ty Gwynno Care Home in Pontypridd, South Wales, failed to uphold the standards of the Code of Practice for Social Care Workers after the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) found her suitability to practice as a registered nurse was ‘impaired’ after she made inappropriate comments to a care home resident.

In evidence to the Committee, Ms Thomas, who did not attend the hearing, denied making offensive comments to the care home resident in front of her grand-daughter.  She admitted regularly using ‘banter’ and said she would most likely have laughed if she had heard another member of staff using the same language with a resident.

During the hearing, the Committee considered documents gathered as part of her NMC hearing, which consisted of evidence from a number of witnesses, including Ms Thomas.

The Committee found Ms Thomas’s behaviour breached the requirement to protect the rights and promote the interests of service users and carers, and maintain their dignity.

In reaching its decision the Committee found her attitude incompatible with being a registered adult care home manager, who should be leading standards of conduct and her behaviour failed to uphold public trust and confidence in social care services.

Ms Thomas will no longer be able to work as an adult care home manager and anyone contacting the Care Council for Wales will be informed that she has been removed from the Register.