Care home boss struck off over safety failings

Sandrock Nursing Home has been in special measures since 2021

The manager of a failing Wirral nursing home has been struck off amid "unprofessional behaviour" and concerns about her management.

Sandrock Nursing Home in Wallasey has been rated inadequate four times and has been placed in special measures by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) since April 2021.

Failings included shortcomings around management of medication and residents being left at risk of harm, a panel found.

Manager Karen Lea has been barred from the care profession following an investigation by the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC).

'Serious concerns'

A report released by the NMC detailed how Ms Lea was referred to the organisation by the CQC in February 2022 after concerns arose about the management of the home.

She began working there in 2002 and became manager in 2011.

In April 2021, an infection prevention and control inspection began at the home to check action had been taken to mitigate risks associated with the COVID-19 pandemic.

The report said “serious concerns” were identified regarding infection control.

The home was permitted to continue operating subject to conditions, which included Ms Lea applying to de-register as the home’s registered manager, which was accepted in October 2022.

A further inspection took place in December 2021 and January 2022 to determine whether sufficient improvements had been made.

However, some areas such as the safety of medicine management had declined further.

The NMC also identified regulatory concerns in relation to Ms Lea, including delivery of personal care, wound management, nutrition and hydration, end of life care, recruitment, staff support and training, and record keeping.

It said although Ms Lea was not always the nurse or member of staff directly responsible for the alleged incidents she had overall responsibility.

The panel found Ms Lea’s "unprofessional behaviour" had the potential to put resident’s at a real risk of harm and bring the profession into disrepute.

The panel also found Ms Lea remained liable to act dishonestly as she had not demonstrated any insight into her actions.

While not presented or represented at the hearings, Ms Lea sent a written reflection to the NMC detailing her regret and remorse.

It said she understood she was in a position of responsibility to ensure the safe and effective running of the home, adding she would not have been in a position to be regularly completing individual care records or delivering care.

Despite this, the NMC panel felt given Ms Lea was home manager caring for particularly vulnerable residents, they were put at risk of harm for a prolonged period of time.

The panel found this behaviour fundamentally incompatible with her remaining on the register.