Care home owner is struck off

OFFICIALS are set to close down a Little-hampton nursing home after its owner/manager was struck off her professional register.

Chandnee Gokhool, 50, was found guilty on Friday of five charges of misconduct by the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC), after inspectors found a series of breaches.

During the four-day hearing, evidence was given that Gokhool humiliated a schizophrenic patient, by making fun of her, repeatedly left Dial House, Maltravers Drive, without qualified nursing cover, and allowed a member of staff to sleep in the same room as a resident.

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The Commission for Social Care Inspection quickly followed up the NMC's decision by serving notice on Gokhool that it intends to de-register Dial House. She has 28 days from Tuesday, when the notice was served, to appeal against the decision.

A spokesman for the commission said: "This is a serious case, and this is the strongest action we can take. If she does not appeal, then the home will be de-registered. We have also ordered her to take no more new residents and have informed social services."

There are currently four residents in the home, which is registered for up to 12 places for elderly people. West Sussex County Council is now looking for new places for any residents it placed in Dial House, and is notifying other local authorities which may have people being looked after there.

NMC panel chairman Val Morrison told Gokhool she had failed her residents and had been a poor role model for staff. "The committee has found you guilty of misconduct in five charges '” as a registered nurse you are accountable for your practice.

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"By leaving the home without registered nursing cover and by allowing unregistered persons to administer medicines, you have failed to act in such a manner as to promote and safeguard the interests and wellbeing of patients and clients."

Commenting on Gokhool's mocking of the schizophrenic woman's "peacock dance", the chairman added: "By making fun of her you failed to recognise and respect the dignity of this patient and abused your privileged relationship with her."

The home's shortcomings were revealed by Dial House nurse Alvina Bhatti, who accused Gokhool of trying to break up her marriage by "tapping up" Mrs Bhatti's husband and repeatedly calling him at their home.

Gokhool, in turn, alleged during the hearing that Mr Bhatti had sexually assaulted her, but the NMC panel found in favour of Mrs Bhatti as a witness,, describing her evidence as "consistent and credible".

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It was Mrs Bhatti who told the hearing that, on at least four times between August, 2001 and February, 2002, Gokhool left the home without qualified staff.

The panel also heard from an inspector for the commission, Christine Williamson, who said she had pulled back a curtain in the home's "penthouse" suite, during a surprise inspection, and found another bed, with a care assistant's belongings stored in the cramped space.

"She was actually living there, behind that curtain. The only thing behind it was a bed, it was only a small area. It is absolutely not acceptable for a patient to share a room with a member of staff," said Mrs Williamson.

Gokhool, who denied the charges, claimed the only time she had left the home was for 10 minutes on May 16, 2002, to move her car.

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"I was five minutes' walk away. That's when the inspector came in," she explained.

She denied telling the schizophrenic patient: "I don't want to see your peacock dance." Gokhool said she would not have used such an analogy and had never seen a peacock dancing. She also denied that a staff member had slept in the same room as a resident.

Catherine Ewins, defending, said Gokhool had "suffered significantly" due to the stress of the proceedings. She submitted references from doctors, patients' relatives and staff in praise of Gokhool.