Care home manager removed from role after severe restraint of disabled individual

A care home manager in Ayrshire has been removed from her role following a tribunal hearing that criticised her use of force as “unnecessary” and “horrific” during the administration of a COVID-19 vaccine to a disabled resident. The case involved Janette Donnelly, the care home manager at Millport Care Centre, whose actions were found to be a significant departure from the standards expected of nurses.

Details of the incident at Millport Care Centre

The incident occurred in February 2021 when a registered NHS nurse visited Millport Care Centre to administer COVID-19 vaccinations. The resident involved, referred to as Service User A, had a learning disability and had previously been restrained briefly to allow feeding. However, on this occasion, the vaccine was administered after two failed attempts in the dining room, with the injection ultimately given in the resident’s bedroom while she was being held on the floor by Donnelly and two other staff members.

Witnesses described the scene as chaotic, with the resident shouting, screaming, and struggling. One witness recalled the “horrific” sight of Donnelly restraining the resident’s head with her hands and reported telling Donnelly that the level of restraint was inappropriate. Donnelly responded with swearing. Another witness expressed discomfort with the restraint but felt unable to raise concerns.

Donnelly instructed the NHS nurse to administer the vaccine through the resident’s clothing. After the injection, Donnelly told a colleague not to report that the vaccine had been given in this manner. The resident was then released, running down the corridor while screaming and waving her hands.

Tribunal findings and consequences for the care home manager

The Nursing and Midwifery Council tribunal found that Donnelly’s actions placed the resident at risk of physical harm and caused emotional harm to both the resident and staff. The panel concluded that the vaccine administration could have been postponed and that Donnelly’s failure to report the injection through clothing was dishonest.

Donnelly defended her actions by citing organisational pressure and a desire to vaccinate everyone quickly. She acknowledged compromising the resident’s dignity and right to refuse and apologised to the resident and her family. She described the incident as a “gross error in judgement” and stated it had not been repeated in the following four years.

Despite this, the tribunal rejected claims that Donnelly was overwhelmed, stating her actions were motivated by convenience. The panel described her conduct as a serious breach of professional standards and fundamental nursing principles. It also found that Donnelly had engaged in sustained deceit, with the true nature of the incident revealed only through a whistle-blower.

As a result, the tribunal ruled that Donnelly should be struck off the nursing register, with no lesser sanction deemed appropriate.

Original report