Care home nurse struck off for assaulting 98-year-old resident

A care home nurse who was convicted of attacking a 98-year-old resident has been struck off. Stephen McMahon was previously found guilty of assaulting three residents at Torbrae Nursing Home in Castlemilk, Glasgow.

The nurse was found guilty of the charges following a trial at Glasgow Sheriff Court last May, which resulted in him facing disciplinary action from the Nursing and Midwifery Council.

Mr McMahon was previously convicted of assaulting one resident, aged 98, by grabbing and twisting her arm, before pushing her.

He was also found guilty of assaulting another elderly resident by applying excessive pressure to him body while restraining him, as well as twisting the arm and pushing another resident in a separate attack.

The assaults all occurred at the home between August 2009 and May 2010, while Mr McMahon was found by the panel to have brought the profession into disrepute.

However, the nurse wrote a letter to the watchdog in relation to the allegations against him last December, in which he denies any wrongdoing.

He stated: “I believe that it is still clear that I was only removing residents from a place of high risk to a place of lower risk, even if my methods were inappropriate and excessive in execution.”

The panel found that Mr McMahon’s fitness to practice was impaired and moved to have him struck off the nursing register.

It noted in its findings released on Wednesday: “At no time has Mr McMahon taken full responsibility for his actions or acknowledged the seriousness of his conduct and consequences for the residents concerned.

“The panel was satisfied that there remains a substantial risk of repetition of such incidents which form the basis of the charges found proved. If repeated there is significant risk of serious harm to others and the reputation of the profession would be further damaged.”