Care home boss struck off after neglecting residents

Janet Fryer was banned from the profession after admitting to 25 charges relating to 15 pensioners at two homes in South Craven between 2018 and 2021.

She was appointed as an I Care Ambassador in 2016 – part of a national team that visits schools and job centres to promote the health and social care industry.

The charges were over her actions at Beanlands Nursing Home, on Colne Road in Glusburn, and Sutton Hall and Lodge Care Home, on Corn Mill Walk, Sutton-in-Craven.

Fryer received a striking-off order at a Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) virtual hearing on February 1.

The panel said: "Mrs Fryer’s actions were significant departures from the standards expected of a registered nurse and are fundamentally incompatible with her remaining on the register."

Fryer was appointed as an I Care Ambassador in 2016 (Image: PA)Fryer began work at Beanlands in 1983 and became the Registered Manager, when the home was being run by the Czajka Care Group, in 2014/2015.

It was in 2016 when she became an I Care Ambassador in a national team launched by the Skills For Care organisation to highlight career opportunities in the industry.

At the time, she was one of three ambassadors from Czajka tasked with visiting schools, colleges and job centres offering advice and conducting tours of the care group's five care homes to encourage people into the care sector.

She resigned from the role of Registered Manager at Beanlands on April 30, 2019.

Fryer was responsible for ensuring serious incident reports were completed and sent to the Care Quality Commission (CQC).

She was also tasked with notifying the CQC when a resident had died. 

The report shows Fryer failed to do a full medical check on a resident who fell and fractured her hip in January 2019.

It was found that she lied to senior bosses about faxing a serious incident report form about the fall to the CQC.

In March 2019, she claimed to have completed the form at the time of the fall and sent it when their online portal was down.

The CQC said the portal was fine at the time and the panel, through looking at Fryer's computer, found the report was only completed on March 6, 2020.

The CQC also outlined that they had not received any notifications at all from Beanlands since July 2018.

It was confirmed that 23 patients died between 4 July 2018 and 6 March 2019 at Beanlands, and none of these deaths were reported to the CQC.

Fryer was then employed as a Clinical Lead Nurse at Sutton Hall from April 30, 2019, until her resignation on February 24, 2021.

Her duties included creating and updating care plans, as well as dispensing and administering medication.

On December 30, 2020, Sutton Hall received an anonymous complaint made to the CQC in respect of Fryer.

She was suspended whilst the allegations were investigated by the home in January 2021.

Fryer failed to give medication to residents and signed to say she had without providing them.

When considering what sanction was appropriate, the panel considered that Fryer's conduct would have been "difficult to put right" and represented a "pattern of dishonesty over a significant period".

They also took into account that she engaged with the NMC and admitted to her conduct. 

The panel said: "Mrs Fryer’s actions were serious and to allow her to continue practising would undermine public confidence in the profession and in the NMC as a regulatory body."

A spokesperson for Czajka Care Group said: “The safeguarding and wellbeing of our residents and anyone in our care is always our top priority.

"As soon as this staff member’s failings became apparent we immediately took appropriate action and suspended her, as well as self-referring ourselves to the Care Quality Commission.

"She never worked for us again and we have since sold Beanlands Nursing Home.

"We also liaised in great detail with the Nursing and Midwifery Council, making them fully aware of the allegations.”

Sutton Hall and Lodge Care Home have been approached for a comment.