Brithdir: Care home boss was 'rude and offensive'

Care home owner Prana Das was "very rude and offensive" to inspectors during a meeting in 2003, inquest hears

The owner of a nursing home where seven residents died after suffering poor care was rude and confrontational with inspectors, an inquest has heard.

Stanley James, 89, June Hamer, 71, Stanley Bradford, 76, Edith Evans, 85, Evelyn Jones, 87, and William Hickman, 71, all died between 2003 and 2005.

They were residents at Brithdir Nursing Home in New Tredegar, Caerphilly.

The hearing in Newport heard owner Dr Prana Das was "very rude and offensive" to inspectors during a meeting in 2003.

Dr Das died last year without facing trial following Operation Jasmine - one of Wales' biggest inquiries into care home neglect after residents suffered dehydration, malnourishment and pressure sores.

Carole Williams, who worked for the then Gwent Health Authority as a nurse assessor, told the inquest of a meeting in June 2003 between between herself, Dr Das and two inspectors from Care Inspectorate Wales (CIW), John Powell and Alison Price.

The inquest comes after one of Wales' biggest inquiries into care home neglect at Brithdir care home in Caerphilly county

She said the meeting had been arranged at the request of Dr Das to discuss the registration of the home and its manager, Peter Smith.

"Throughout the meeting Mr Powell made several attempts to explain the registration process of the home and the manager," Ms Williams said in a written statement.

"Despite [Mr Powell's] continuing efforts to explain and discuss with Dr Das, it was met by Dr Das talking over him.

"He wasn't prepared to give Mr Powell time to explain, and neither was he prepared for Alison Price to explain or illustrate some of the concerns they had regarding the management and operation of Brithdir."

• Care home boss 'was embezzling money', inquest is told

• Care home resident 'looked like prisoner of war'

• Resident had '50cm pressure sore'

• Inquest into six residents' deaths opens

Despite the inspectors' "best efforts", Ms Williams said Dr Das "refused to accept or was unable to understand" the registration process.

"In fact, Dr Das was very rude and personalised, and was offensive towards John," her statement continued.

"Eventually the meeting was terminated by John Powell as Dr Das was evidently becoming more angry, unreasonable and confrontational."

Ms Williams also recalled an occasion when she and Ms Price carried out a pre-arranged inspection of the Holly House residential home, which was also owned by Dr Das, in June 2004.

The home "was a mess", Ms Williams said, and had been the subject of 28 visits since the previous inspection year due to concerns over management and care.

Evelyn Jones was one of the care home residents whose family raised concerns

She said the home was found to be "poorly managed" with an "apparent failure to give due regard" to warnings and instructions from CIW, and "regular breaches" of regulations related to staffing.

"All standards which were reviewed during the inspection process failed to meet the full regulatory requirement," Ms Williams added.

Holly House later closed and many of the residents and staff were transferred to Brithdir, the inquest had previously heard.

A hearing into the death of a seventh resident, Matthew Higgins, 86, will be held following the conclusion of the other six.

The inquest continues.