A nurse has appeared before a medical hearing accused of a catalogue of misconduct at an Ilkley care home.

The panel was told that Barbara Falkingham, who worked at the Rombalds Nursing Home, had fallen asleep on duty, failed to attend to residents' needs and verbally abused them.

At a professional conduct committee meeting of the United Kingdom Central Council for Nursing, Midwifery and Health Visiting, Rombalds matron Janet Smith said she found Mrs Falkingham asleep when she carried out a spot check at the home in Crossbeck Road.

Mrs Smith told the case hearing in Leeds: "Mrs Falkingham was laid down with a blanket over her and was asleep. It is not permissible for staff to sleep on a night shift. I did not expect it to happen."

The hearing was told that immediately after the incident in September 1998, Mrs Smith had sacked Mrs Falkingham who then brought an unfair dismissal case against the company.

Mrs Smith said: "I lost the industrial tribunal on a technicality. I believed it was my right to dismiss her then. I felt it was gross misconduct and therefore asked her to go."

Mrs Smith added that although the tribunal had found Mrs Falkingham to have been unfairly dismissed, it added the sacking had been brought around by her own actions. The hearing was also told that Mrs Falkingham received no compensation.

It is also alleged that Mrs Falkingham called one resident "a silly old bitch" and also "I bet you were a right moaning old cow".

Mrs Falkingham's solicitor Sarah Morgan said that the sleeping incident did not happen. She said her client had voiced criticisms over the matron's methods including not using incontinence pads at night and ordering nurses to iron clothes.

Mrs Smith said she had only requested that ironing be done and added: "Why would I ask her to leave for no reason? I found it very difficult to find someone else to do the night shift."

Mrs Smith also told the hearing that another member of staff had said Mrs Falkingham had poured away jugs of drink which were supposed to have been given to the residents.

When Mrs Smith asked her about it, Mrs Falkingham had denied the matter and no more action had been taken, the hearing heard.

Mrs Smith also told the committee Mrs Falkingham had dropped two of her three nightly shifts each week after finding another job.

Mrs Smith said Mrs Falkingham informed her this was due to "personal problems at home". But Mrs Morgan argued that she had resigned only to be persuaded to keep working one shift a week.

The hearing continues.

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