Nurse who worked at troubled Lancashire care home faces 27 charges

Lake View Care Home in Withnell, near Chorley, abruptly closed down in January 2015 when faced with an investigation into allegations of mistreatment of patients.

Families were given just a few weeks’ notice to rehome their loved ones after the care home’s owner Embrace announced the closure.

It came after the Care Quality Commission announced that it would be taking enforcement action against the home, which had raised “significant concerns over the standard of care”.

The home’s owners also suspended five members of staff after feedback from the CQC.

Now registered nurse Jennifer Wairimu Kioko is due before a hearing facing charges that relate to her time working as an agency nurse at Lake View between December 25, 2014 and January 5, 2015.

She is facing 27 charges including that she pulled a patient by her wrist and inappropriately restrained her.

It is also alleged that she did not follow infection control protocol, did not lift a patient properly and did not interact with or reassure her patient.

It is alleged that her fitness to practice is impaired by reason of misconduct.

A further allegation is that, on December 27, she was rough while putting a continence pad on a patient and, on January 3, said “She is wet, the bed is full of wee” within earshot of the patient.

The hearing will take place in London and, if the charges are proved, Ms Wairimu Kioko faces being struck off the nursing register.