Former Bupa nurse struck off for withholding tobacco and using force with resident

A former Bupa nurse has been struck off for withholding tobacco and using force with a resident.

Janet Elizabeth Kirk was handed a striking off order from July 4 by the Nursing & Midwifery Council for misconduct at Crawford’s Walk nursing home (pictured) in Chester on May 31, 2015.

The panel heard that Ms Kirk had withheld tobacco from a resident and caused injury to them while using force to prevent them from entering a lounge area.

Ms Kirk also failed to document a fall suffered by another resident on May 30, 2015.

In further charges, Ms Kirk was found to have made inaccurate entries to residents’ care plans during her subsequent employment at Oaklands Nursing Home in Chester, which is run by Conifers Care Home Ltd, in March 2016.

The NMC commented: “The panel …. determined that it was necessary to take action to prevent Mrs Kirk from practising in the future and concluded that the only sanction that would adequately protect the public and serve the public interest was a striking-off order.”

Ian Southerland, Managing Director for Bupa Care Services in the West, said: “These actions fell well below the standard we expect from our colleagues. As soon as we became aware of the issues, we suspended Ms Kirk and she was dismissed from the business shortly after.”