A DEPUTY manager at a former nursing home on Arran who breached Covid-19 rules has been struck off.

Nurse Tracey Beck previously worked at the now closed Cooriedoon Care Home on the island and faced more than 25 charges.

They included carrying out "manual bowel evacuations" on four elderly residents.

The charges date back to between 2018 and 2020 and was found guilty of 11 of them, including putting "significant lives in danger” at the home after breaching Covid-19 protocols in 2020.

The Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) said the allegations that were proved amounted to conduct that was “fundamentally incompatible” with remaining on the nursing register.

Beck failed to record that she had conducted manual bowel evacuations on four residents’ notes.

On another occasion, when a resident requested paracetamol, she said: “That bloody b***h. and “She’s a pain in the butt,” or words to that effect.

It was also proved that on one or more occasions she either “shook” or “manhandled” a resident. And another occasion, the health worker “pushed” a different resident into a chair.

She was also found to have “grabbed” a resident from her chair or wheelchair. During another incident she either “pushed” or “smashed” a resident into their chair/wheelchair.

And on October 5, 2020, during an investigatory interview with a colleague, Beck shouted, using words to the effect that: “I’m not here for you or the staff, I’m here for the residents.” 

Beck, who was later dismissed from the care home, had already been demoted and was on a final written warning following an incident in June 2020, where she allowed a family member to visit from the mainland during the Covid-19 pandemic when the home was on full lockdown, putting all the residents and staff "at risk."

The NMC found that her actions had “facilitated” the attendance of a person to the Isle of Arran and the home “in breach of Covid 19 protocols.”

During the two-week hearing which took place in August there were several witnesses including a social worker, a social worker assistant and an officer with North Ayrshire Council.

The NMC fitness to practise hearing was told that Beck indicated that it was “not her intention” to attend and had “voluntarily absented herself.”

The report, which can be found of the NMC website, states: "The panel was of the view that Ms Beck’s actions did fall significantly short of the standards expected of a registered nurse, and that Ms Beck’s actions amounted to a breach of the code.

"The panel considered that there is no evidence to suggest Ms Beck’s understanding of how her actions put the patients at a risk of harm or why what she did was wrong and how this impacted negatively on the reputation of the nursing profession.

"As such, the panel determined that Ms Beck has not demonstrated any insight into her misconduct. 

"The panel was satisfied that the majority of the misconduct in this case is capable of being addressed, but noted that the acts of physical abuse are particularly difficult and challenging to remediate.

"The panel had nothing before it to indicate that Ms Beck has taken steps to strengthen her practice or address the concerns identified.

"Ms Beck’s behaviour in the local investigation and subsequent lack of engagement with the NMC proceedings, raise questions for the panel about her attitude. There is nothing to suggest that in Ms Beck’s 30-year career there has been concerns raised about her practice prior to this.

“However, the panel determined that there is an ongoing risk of repetition. The panel therefore decided that a finding of impairment is necessary on the grounds of public protection The panel considered this case very carefully and decided to make a striking-off order.”