Two nurses from West Yorkshire were yesterday found guilty of misconduct after neglecting and abusing elderly patients in their care.

Elisabeth Uttley, 62 of of Sowerby Bridge was struck off the register and Linda Parker, 59 of Halifax received a caution after they failed to provide adequate care to residents between October 2002 and July 2004.

In a four-day hearing ending yesterday, an independent panel of the Nursing and Midwifery Council's (NMC) Conduct and Competence Committee found that whilst working at Laurel Bank Nursing Home in Halifax, the nurses' fitness to practise had been impaired.

The independent panel heard that Uttley, who was Deputy Matron of the home at the time, failed to address a patient's relunctance to eat resulting in significant nutritional deficiency and weight loss. Evidence was also presented that Uttley caused injury to a patient after dragging her across the bed with the use of a hoist, and also failed to treat another patient's pressure sores.

As manager of the care home, it was found Parker failed to ensure care plans were implemented, members of staff were adequately trained and that risks to residents were identified and minimised.

Commenting on the outcome of the hearing, NMC spokesperson Stephanie Guyett said,

"Elderly residents were subjected to suffering that should have been avoided. When being cared for in a home, residents and the families of residents should expect that their health is always cared for and their safety never placed at risk. Parker and Uttley have breached their professional Code of Conduct, particularly in reference to protecting the interests and dignity of patients, and therefore the Panel found it necessary to impose sanctions on the registrants."

1. The Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) is the UK regulator for two professions, nursing and midwifery. The primary purpose of the NMC is protection of the public. It does this through maintaining a register of all nurses, midwives and specialist community public health nurses eligible to practise within the UK and by setting standards for their education, training and conduct. Currently the number of registrants exceeds 682,000. The Nursing and Midwifery Order 2001 (The Order), sets out the NMC's role and responsibilities.

2. The independent panel is selected from a pool of individuals appointed by the Appointments Board. They come from a variety of backgrounds and are not NMC Council members, nor do they sit on any committee of the Council.

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