Nurse struck off for home neglect

The panel heard of a shortage of incontinence pads at the home

A nurse has been struck off and a matron reprimanded after elderly residents at a home were left malnourished or soaked in urine.

Deputy matron, Elisabeth Uttley, 62, now retired, was found guilty of a number of failings and misconduct at Laurel Bank Home, Halifax, West Yorks.

Matron Patricia Parker, 59, was given a five-year caution after she admitted failing to give adequate care.

A disciplinary panel said Uttley had not even apologised for her actions.

Uttley, from Sowerby Bridge, West Yorkshire, failed to attend the disciplinary hearing being held in Bradford by the Nursing and Midwifery Council's Professional Conduct Committee.

She was found guilty in her absence of a series of failings and also of misconduct.

If anything good has come out of this it has to be that people at Laurel Bank are now kept warm, are well fed and looked after Marilyn Hartley, daughter of resident Lily Leatham

Parker, from Halifax, admitted failing to provide adequate care to three residents and misconduct charges.

She can continue with her career after the hearing was told she had apologised for her actions and had learnt from her mistakes.

The case centred on the treatment of three residents at the home.

Agnes Moore, now 68, Lily Leatham, now 83, and Ivy McGuire, who was 78 when she died three years ago - all lived at the home between 2002 and 2004.

The panel was told of a series of incidents at the home, including Mrs Leatham being admitted to hospital suffering from signs of malnutrition and with a "hideous" sore on her hip.

'Words fail me'

The hearing also heard there were not enough incontinence pads at the home with one resident left sitting in urine.

After the ruling, Lily Leatham's daughter, Marilyn Hartley, said: "I'm just devastated, words fail me.

"I don't think the NMC has sent the right message out with a caution for five years for the matron and the deputy is struck off.

"I just can't believe it. If anything good has come out of this it has to be that people at Laurel Bank are now kept warm, are well fed and looked after."