Inspector 'shocked' at care home

Some patients 'looked dirty', it is claimed

A residential care home inspector was "horrified" by the condition of elderly people in a home she assessed, a disciplinary hearing has heard.

Kay Paul, who visited Bridgford Lodge in Ruddington, Nottingham, said a resident's bed was soiled and one woman wore a torn dress which exposed her underwear.

She was giving evidence at the professional conduct committee of the Nursing and Midwifery Council.

The committee is hearing evidence about the conduct of Helen Fox, who ran the residential home from November 1998 to April 2000.

They were just generally unkempt and uncared for

Kay Paul, care home inspector

Ms Fox has admitted paying £3,259 of benefits belonging to a client into her personal bank account.

She has further admitted failing to ensure soiled sheets on a bed were changed and fitting a catheter to a woman patient without proper authority.

However, she denies her residents were left unkempt with dirty fingernails and untidy hair and a charge that a woman did not receive treatment from a district nurse for pressure sores.

She also denies her actions amounted to misconduct.

'Filthy fingernails'

Ms Paul, who inspected Bridgford Lodge in November 1999, said she was concerned about the appearance of the residents.

"Many of them looked dirty.

"People had filthy fingernails and their nails were long.

"Hair was dirty, long and greasy and many (of the men) had not been shaved.

Transparent dress

"They were just generally unkempt and uncared for."

She described how many of the elderly women had long facial hair and one woman had a torn transparent dress which exposed her breasts and her underwear.

Mrs Fox was not present at the hearing and she was not legally represented.

Robert Girling, for the Nursing and Midwifery Council, said letters had been sent by first class post informing her about the hearing.