Former Oldbury care home manager suspended for misconduct

A REGISTERED nurse has been suspended from working for 18 months after a disciplinary panel was told of a catalogue of failures to safeguard elderly people when she was manager of an Oldbury care home.

Rosalie Bannister faced misconduct charges relating to her time running the Silverlands Residential Home, which was closed down after the allegations came to light.

A Nursing and Midwifery Council panel was told that Bannister failed to safeguard the interests and safety of residents during 2003 and 2004.

Members were told that she failed to ensure adequate staffing levels and that all rooms were cleaned to an acceptable standard.

One room had used incontinent pads on the floor and another had a soiled mattress.

They were told adequate records were not kept of residents needs, accident books were inadequately completed and she failed to ensure there were adequate nutritional assessments for all residents.

The charges related to various dates over the two year period and also included allegations that on ocassions she failed to ensure that staff were administering medication to patients as prescribed and/or were adequately recording such medication administered.

Bannister did not attend the hearing in London last week, but the panel was “satisfied” that it was in the interests of justice to proceed in her absence.

In serving her with an interim suspension order for 18 months, the conduct and competence committee reported: “The registrant (Bannister) has made admissions to a number of serious allegations which have implications for the protection of the public and in particular patient safety.

“The registrant has also admitted that her fitness to practise is currently impaired.

“On the basis of these admissions and the evidence which the panel has heard in relation to the admitted facts, the panel finds that it is necessary for public protection, and otherwise in the public interest, to impose an interim suspension order.”