Nurse admits to pensioner neglect
May 22 2008 Media Wales
A QUALIFIED nurse who admitted wilfully neglecting an elderly woman days before her death was given a conditional discharge today.
John Alder, 52, pleaded guilty to the charge, on the basis that he failed to give 84-year-old Gladys Thomas her correct medication after her regime was changed.
Earlier this month, eight other carers and nurses at the Bryngwyn Mountleigh Residential Home in Newbridge, were cleared of wilful neglect during a trial when the prosecution dropped the case.
Miss Thomas was suffering from fractured bones and extensive bruising when she was admitted to the Royal Gwent Hospital, Newport, in October 2005, but it was decided there was no evidence she was physically abused.
Newport Crown Court heard the hospital had decided on a new medical regime for the pensioner, who suffered from severe mental and physical problems.
Alder, who regularly worked 12 hour days at the home, did not realise this however, and she was given the wrong doses of drugs for a week before being readmitted to hospital.
Sentencing Alder, who has since resigned as a nurse and now works in a factory for the minimum wage, Judge Roderick Denyer QC said he had not physically harmed Miss Thomas or deliberately neglected her.
He told Alder: “I acquit you of any positive desire to do any harm to Gladys Thomas at all.
He told him: “I have no doubt that’s a major source of unhappiness for you.”
Giving him an 18-month conditional discharge, Judge Denyer added: “Your life has been wrecked, quite frankly.”
SOURCE: ICWales
---------------------------------------------------
More Recent Posts from Spotlight on Elder Abuse
No comments:
Post a Comment