A Perthshire nurse who made sexual comments about a patient and manhandled three others has been struck from the register.
Adrian Sanders denied a number of charges related to his employment as staff nurse at two local care homes.
A charge alleging that he had lifted one man from a wheelchair by his neck was found not proven during a four-day hearing at the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC).
An NMC panel heard that at Balhousie Coupar Angus care home on October 20 2013, one patient became upset at a care assistant after being told he could not be given more medication.
Sanders approached the man’s wheelchair from behind and “encased” the patient by putting his arms around the patient’s upper arms while grabbing both of his wrists, telling him: “You’re not treating my girls like that”.
The next day, when a dementia patient tried repeatedly to enter another patient’s room he grabbed her by her shoulder, causing her to bang into a wall, and spoke to her in an “aggressive tone” before a care assistant intervened and led her away.
On October 22 that year Sanders manhandled a patient four times by placing his arms under her armpits. The panel heard that the usual technique was for two people to carry out such a manoeuvre, with one person on each side of the patient.
While working at Rosemount care home in Blairgowrie in April 2014, Sanders made a number of remarks that a care assistant said had been made “in a sexual way”, which the panel decided “showed a complete lack of respect for her and total disregard for her dignity”.
It was submitted that Sanders had a previously unblemished career and a good working relationship with colleagues. He has since retired due to ill health and could not be contacted.
In removing Sanders from the register, the NMC said: “Whilst the panel heard no evidence that patients were physically harmed as a result of Mr Sanders’ actions, it took account of the evidence that Patients A, B and C may have been psychologically harmed by his actions given that they were clearly upset and distressed.”
A spokesperson for Balhousie Care Group said: “Mr Sanders worked with us for a very short period in 2013.
The incident in question was reported by Balhousie Care Group to all appropriate authorities, including the Police Authority, the Care Inspectorate, and the Nursing and Midwifery Council at the time of the occurrence.
“At Balhousie Care Group we strongly believe in providing a safe environment for residents which centres on respect, dignity and comfort. The company takes every effort to deliver good-quality care to all residents entrusted to us and this will continue to be our priority.”