Nurse Struck Off Following Care Home Cruelty, UK

Main Category: Litigation / Medical Malpractice
Also Included In: Nursing / Midwifery
Article Date: 08 Jul 2008 - 3:00 PST

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A 43 year old registered nurse from Aston, Birmingham has been struck off the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) register for physically and verbally abusing a vulnerable care home patient.

Reolebile Moswate was employed at Hillview Court Care Home in Sauchie in September 2006 when she grabbed an elderly patient by the face and shook her head because she was having difficulty eating. A hearing into the incident by the independent Conduct and Competence Committee panel for the NMC heard the assault left fingerprint bruising on the patient's face.

At the hearing, the panel also heard that Moswate was verbally abusive to another resident when shouting at her words to the effect that she should be quiet and mind her own business.

Commenting on the panel's decision to issue a striking off order, NMC spokesperson Sarah Connolly said:

"The panel found that Moswate's behaviour constituted several serious breaches of the NMC Code of Professional Conduct. This involved both verbal and physical abuse towards elderly, vulnerable residents. She failed to uphold the good reputation of the profession and the public are entitled to expect that nurses should not behave in this way. In all the circumstances, particularly in light of the seriousness of the misconduct the panel have concluded that the Registrant's fitness to practice is impaired and that a striking off order is appropriate."

The Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) is the UK regulator for two professions, nursing and midwifery. The primary purpose of the NMC is protection of the public. It does this through maintaining a register of all nurses, midwives and specialist community public health nurses eligible to practice within the UK and by setting standards for their education, training and conduct. Currently the number of registrants exceeds 674,000. The Nursing and Midwifery Order 2001 (The Order), sets out the NMC's role and responsibilities.

Nursing and Midwifery Council