A NURSE has been struck off for abusing and neglecting elderly residents in a care home.

Maureen Brown, 57, of Kirklevington, near Yarm, was dismissed from her post at Dalby Court Nursing and Residential Home, in Coulby Newham, near Middlesbrough, two years ago for her misconduct.

She failed to attend the Nurse and Midwifery Council (NMC) hearing in Darlington yesterday, and her licence for nursing was withdrawn in her absence.

"Mrs Brown has neglected her duty to provide care in a compassionate manner," said NMC director of professional conduct Liz McAnulty. "She has caused her patients discomfort and humiliation, and has been removed from the register to protect the public."

Mrs Brown had previously admitted holding down a woman's arms while giving her a bed bath, six months after she started at the home.

She also admitted forcing an elderly woman's head back as she sat on the toilet so she could remove her dentures in June 2000.

But the nurse denied telling care assistant Margaret Whiting to leave an incontinent man in his eighties in urine-soaked trousers for an hour so she could help with the tea-time rush.

The man had pulled his emergency alarm to let the carers know he was in trouble but was left in severe discomfort for an hour.

"When I got there he was soaked right through to the waist and he needed to be changed into fresh clothes before he could have his tea," said Mrs Whiting, now a senior care assistant at the home.

Mrs Brown was found guilty on all three charges and her licence was revoked with immediate effect.