Nurse cleared of misconduct

A SHOTLEY nurse broke down in tears after she was cleared of professional misconduct charges.

Hazel Garrow is one of four nursing home staff who are today free to continue their careers after being cleared of failing to care for a frail pensioner who died in hospital after a fall.

Garrow, 41, who was the manager of the nursing home, and three members of staff all cried when they were acquitted of professional misconduct.

Relatives of the old lady, Mrs A, complained in shock at her condition just four days after she went into the Cherry Orchard Nursing Home in Dagenham, Essex.

They photographed her injuries, which included a swollen abdomen and bruising to her shins, face and thighs before rushing her to hospital.

She was later discharged from King George's Hospital but died at home two days later in the early hours of November 26, 2001.

A post mortem revealed the woman had died from heart disease combined with the fracture of her right wrist.

Garrow, of Shotley Gate, and nurses Mable Chifamba-Garaidenga, 39, Blessing Chimusoro, 32, and Jayne Murphy, 42, were accused of a series of care failures.

It was claimed they failed to ensure proper procedures were in place to look after her needs and protect her from falls.

There were also accused of failing to reassess her after she fell in the home and failing to record the injury.

But lawyers representing the four nurses applied for the charges to be dismissed due to lack of evidence before the defence case started.

The Nursing and Midwifery Council committee chairman Angela O'Connor said: "The evidence heard was not enough to constitute misconduct. 'These proceedings are now closed."

Relatives of Mrs A called in officials after discovering her slumped in a chair at the home on November 23.

Garrow, Murphy, of Hornchurch, Chimusoro, and Chifamba-Garaidenga, both of Dagenham, had all denied misconduct.