A NURSE in Burnley has been allowed to continue to practise while a probe is conducted on his failure to start CPR on an unresponsive care home patient.

Richard Lim is also accused of not immediately calling for an ambulance during the incident at Dove Court nursing and residential home last September.

The Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) also heard that Lim had been charged with recording that the same patient had refused medication, when none had been offered.

It is also claimed that Mr Lim had received a final written warning from the BUPA home in 2009 after failing to properly assess another patient who had suffered a fall.

But Mr Lim, while accepting he had mistakes, told an NMC interim orders committee hearing that he wished to contest the accuracy of the 2009 findings.

The committee heard that he had resigned from Dove Court but was now working shifts at another nursing home, which was aware of the current case.

Mr Lim claimed that he was currently experiencing ‘serious financial pressure’ which would be made worse if he was not allowed to remain in work while the NMC inquiry was ongoing.

He also said that at the time of the Dove Court incident, he had been experiencing family difficulties.

Panel chairman Gillian Fleming said the committee had taken the view that the allegations related to ‘basic competencies and if repeated could cause significant harm to patients’.

“Furthermore, due to the earlier allegation of failing to assess a patient who had suffered a fall, the panel concluded that there is a real risk of harm to patients if you were able to practise unrestricted,” she added.

But the panel ruled that conditions could be imposed on Mr Lim’s registration for the next 18 months in order to ensure patient safety.

He will be required to keep the NMC informed of any postings, remain under supervision, pass courses in basic life support and medicines adminstration and keep the council informed of his training progress.

The conditons will remain in place until a full investigation committee hearing into the matter.