Chorley nurse cleared of misconduct over death of Lancashire great-grandmother
8:00am Thursday 1st November 2012 in News
Chorley Hospital
A nurse has been cleared of misconduct over the death of a Lancashire great-grandmother – and a colleague implicated in her drugs overdose has escaped without punishment.
Sylvia Roberts, 88, a patient at Chorley Hospital, died on Boxing Day 2005, the day after being given a significant dose of Oxycontin, while being cared for on Hazelwood Ward.
Two doctors and two nurses were referred to medical authorities for investigation by Preston coroner Dr James Adeley after a 2008 inquest.
But a Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) fitness to practice hearing made only limited findings regarding Anne-Marie McCall, who wrongfully administered the drug, and Andrew Owler, who was responsible for observations on Mrs Roberts in the hours before her death.
The NMC heard the ward was ‘understaffed’, when the drug was given on Christmas Day by Miss McCall, an agency nurse, to Mrs Roberts.
The dose was 80mg, when a usual allocation would be 10mg, at regular intervals, the watchdog was told.
Miss McCall, who has not worked as a nurse since the incident, admitted administering the drug but was cleared of failing to keep observations on Mrs Roberts.
Panel chairman David Kyle said though her mistake was a ‘particularly serious one’, she had lived with the error for seven years and there were ‘exceptional circumstances’ for not imposing a sanction.
Owler admitted failing to carry out a proper set of observations on Mrs Roberts and keeping proper records. No impairment was found in his case, as it was considered an ‘isolated incident’ and he had shown significant understanding of his mistakes.
The two doctors involved in Mrs Roberts’ care were also given formal warnings by the General Medical Council in relation to the incident, it has also emerged.
Dr Abdul Rhouma, the first senior house officer to assess the patient, and Dr Selvizhi Subramanian, a second senior house officer who examined her later, were castigated for their failures in realising the seriousness of Mrs Roberts’ condition.
