Nurse who ‘lost it’ in clear

AN Oldham mental health nurse accused of frog-marching an elderly woman across the room because she picked food off another patient’s plate has had the case against him thrown out.

Anthony Howarth (54) was said to have ‘lost it’ with the woman, referred to as “Patient A”, during a shift on the Beal Ward at St George’s Care Centre, Moorside, in March, 2007.

He was further alleged to have grabbed another patient by the arm and dragged her into her bedroom after she shouted.

But the case against him was thrown out of court after a panel of the Nursing and Midwifery Council ruled the allegations against him were not proved.

Chairman Judith Way said: “The registrant worked in the early onset dementia unit at the centre where the patients display challenging behaviour.

“The panel accepts Patient A was compliant although she was in the habit of leaning back slightly when being moved.”

Howarth denied inappropriately handling two patients in his care on March 22 and 23, 2007.

He can now continue in his career with an unblemished record.