Care home nurse put elderly at risk Patients did not get their medication
A nurse who put patients at risk in two care homes in Ayr was found guilty of a series of failings by the industry watchdog.
But John Dixon is back working at one of the care homes – but in another capacity.
Last week Dixon avoided being struck off by the Nursing and Midwifery Council ( NMC), despite numerous allegations relating to his patient care at Rozelle Holm Farm Care Home and at Heathfield House.
The allegations centre around a number of patients at the two homes and date back to when Dixon was employed as a registered nurse at Rozelle Holm Farm between 2014 and 2017.
Other charges related to Dixon’s time as a staff nurse at Heathfield House in 2018.
A report presented the NMC hearing in Edinburgh last week said: “The charges at both Rozelle and Heathfield House relate to medication administration errors and a failure to keep clear and accurate records involving a number of residents.”
Rozelle provides care for 38 residents, while Heathfield House is an 88- bed home which provides residential care to frail and elderly residents, as well as residents with dementia.
Dixon was reemployed at Rozelle on July 13, 2018 as a car assistant on their bank and covered for holiday period and sickness.
He was back at the care home after he was cleared and free to work as a registered nurse.
The report added: “Subsequently further incidents occurred at Heathfield House in February and March 2018 in relation to Mr Dixon’s practice which involved medication not being given to residents, failures to sign for administering medication given and signing for medication which had not been administered.
“Mr Dixon was dismissed from his employment at Heathfield House on March 28 2018 and he was referred to the NMC on March 29.”
Mr Dixon was cleared of several of the charges against him.
But others were found proved, including not calling a GP in relation to a resident following concerns raised by family members.
Others relate to dispensing the wrong dose of Warfarin, a blood- thinning medicine to treat and prevent blood clots.
Mr Dixon was also found to have signed a medicine administration record chart to say that vitamin B12 had been given to a resident when it had not.
Dixon also left medicine unattended in a resident’s room, administered an additional dose of medication to a resident when it had already been given, failed to administer prescribed insulin to a resident at the correct time and failed to record a patient’s blood sugar levels.
On one occasion a patient under Dixon’s care, at Heathfield House, was hospitalised with ketoacidosis, a symptom of not receiving insulin.
The NMC concluded that some of the charges put patients “at serious risk of harm”.
Dixon did not attend the hearing and was not represented.
He was described by witnesses at the hearing as a “kind” and “good nurse” who would “never intentionally” put patients at risk of harm.
In a written judgement the NMC said: “The panel identified several mitigating factors.
“First, Mr Dixon has shown a willingness to take responsibility and broadly accepted concerns raised about his practice.
“He has demonstrated remorse as well as a degree of insight, both at the time of each incident and in his response to the regulatory concerns.
“Second, Mr Dixon appears to be a generally competent nurse. Several of the witness statements describe him as a kind and good nurse who would never intentionally put patients at risk of harm.”
Dixon received a 15- month conditions of practice order, meaning he must comply with certain conditions which are now placed on his healthcare work.
The written judgement added: “The panel considered a period of 15 months would allow Mr Dixon time to gain employment as a registered nurse and would allow him sufficient time to complete the necessary learning and practical concerns identified within the conditions listed.
“It would also allow Mr Dixon time to demonstrate his ability to safely administer medication and keep accurate records over a significant period of time.”