A BUPA nurse who told elderly patients at a care home they were ‘only here to die’ has been struck off.
Suzanne Hoggan was accused of acting in an unprofessional manner with patients at the Newcarron Court Care Home in Falkirk, Scotland.
She had been suspended by the Nursing and Midwifery Council ahead of a Fitness to Practice hearing, which heard that in additional to verbal abuse, she was physically rough with one patient pushing them to the ground.
Suzanne Hoggan was struck off by the Nursing and Midwifery Council over her treatment of elderly dementia patients at Newcarrown Court Care Home in Falkirk, Scotland, pictured
Hoggan reportedly told an elderly dementia patient they had been sent to the home to die
Hoggan told one dementia sufferer: ‘You shut up, or you’re not getting a pudding.’
Hoggan also told the woman to ‘eat your food properly or you’ll go to your room’.
The nurse pushed patients to the floor and and told one: ‘See, that’s your own fault, get up yourself’.
Hoggan said she wanted to cancel medical appointments for dementia patients, adding:
‘I’m going to have words with nurses about appointments here and appointments there; they’re not needed because at the end of the day, people are here to die.’
The cruel nurse also dragged an old lady down the corridor of the home until she fell to her knees, the Nursing and Midwifery Council heard.
Hoggan sent a letter of resignation to the home in January 2015 and has since indicated she no longer wants to practise as a nurse.
Panel chairman Clive Chalk said Hoggan had expressed no remorse for her actions.
Following complaints, Hoggan resigned from the Care Home, pictured in January 2015
The hearing ruled that suspending Hoggan for a further period would not serve any purpose so the only appropriate sanction in the case was a ‘striking-off order’
Mr Chalk added: ‘She has provided no further evidence of insight, reflection or remediation and, in the absence of such information, the panel concluded that she remains liable to repeat matters of the kind found proved for the reasons given by the previous panel.’
He said the panel took into account Hoggan’s letter and ‘noted that she has not engaged thus far and has indicated in the strongest terms that she no longer wishes to practise as a nurse or remain on the register.
‘The panel therefore decided that a further period of suspension would serve no useful purpose.
‘Accordingly, the panel determined that the only appropriate sanction in this case was a striking-off order.
‘This order will take effect upon the expiry of the existing suspension order on 31 March 2018.’