Orchid View misconduct nurse Sadeo Singh struck off

The care home has closed and reopened under a new name and management

A nurse who worked at a West Sussex care home which saw 19 unexplained deaths has been struck off.

Sadeo Singh, who worked at Orchid View in Copthorne, had earlier been found guilty of misconduct by the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC).

A coroner described the home as being riddled with "institutionalised abuse".

Singh had been charged with five offences between November 2009 and April 2010, when the home was run by now-defunct Southern Cross.

Reviewing his suspension, the NMC said he lacked insight into his failings and had not taken steps to change.

The panel had heard he pulled a woman out of a wheelchair by her wrists at the home.

The NMC was told the woman's daughters told Singh she could not bear her own weight, but he pulled her to her feet on her first day at Orchid View.

'Left in pain'

On another occasion, as one daughter fed her mother, he said: "If you do that she'll never get better".

The panel heard he also failed to help another resident in pain.

All charges against Singh were proved.

Singh did not appear at the review hearing, but wrote to the panel saying had reached retirement age, would not work as a nurse again and apologised for his actions.

At an inquest in 2013, coroner Penelope Schofield said neglect contributed to five of the 19 deaths and all received "suboptimal" care.

Orchid View has since closed and reopened under a new name and management.