Medical Negligence

Three nurses who worked at a care home owned by two doctors struck off in 2007 have also been removed from the nursing register over a catalogue of below-standard practices.

Kathleen Smith, 46, Carol Bushell, 48, and Mary Casey, 70, all worked at the Maypole Nursing Home in Kings Heath, Birmingham, which closed in 2003.

The doctors were struck off after it was found that 27 people had died at the home in 2002, compared to eight the previous year.

Speaking after a hearing in Birmingham, a spokeswoman for the Nursing and Midwifery Council said the actions of the three nurses fell below expected standards.

They had poor nursing practices, poor care plans and "woeful" management skills, she said.

She added: "Mrs Casey has admitted a number of serious errors in relation to giving out medication. In addition, further findings were made in relation to her poor nursing practices.

"Mrs Bushell has been found guilty of a number of serious charges in relation to the wrongful provision of medication, inappropriate restraint and poor preparation of care plans.

"Mrs Smith displayed serious failings in fundamental areas of clinical care which impacted on the welfare and dignity of residents in her care, as well as staggeringly defective record-keeping and a woeful lack of skill in vital aspects of her management keeping."

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Victoria Blankstone from law firm Irwin Mitchell said: "The Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) have carried out an extremely detailed investigation of the three nurses at the Maypole Nursing Home. We are very relieved that all three have been struck off the nursing register indefinitely and that the NMC have taken this necessary step to protect the public from the dangerous practices of these people, who throughout the 3 week hearing showed no insight, no regret and no remorse about their actions in managing the vulnerable elderly patients under their care whilst at The Maypole."