AN elderly woman needed hospital treatment after being given the wrong medication by a care home worker.

County Durham Care, which runs East Green Home, in West Auckland, County Durham, launched an investigation after a resident had to be taken to Bishop Auckland General Hospital last week.

The woman, who has not been named, remained in hospital overnight before being released.

She had been given the medication by an acting residential supervisor.

The incident came as the home faced problems with staff sickness.

More than a third of the 30 staff, including an assistant manager, were off work.

Six of them are on long-term sick leave of more than six months. The home has also had three managers in as many years.

West Auckland councillor Sonny Douthwaite promised to consult with residents when he carried out a visit in the near future.

He said: "I will be looking very closely at it and I will be asking the residents how they feel, but as far as I'm concerned everything is going well there."

A spokeswoman for County Durham Care said the incident would be considered as part of a review into the procedure for giving medication.

She said: "It has been investigated, and the member of staff is now shadowed by another member of staff when she is helping with the administration of medication.

"The resident's GP was informed, and her family. The lady was taken in (to hospital) overnight as a precautionary measure, and is now back at the home.

"We do have a sickness problem at the moment, but I can't say whether it is to do with stress.

"We have their jobs covered by other staff from other homes or from casual staff on a bank which we can call up."