Mental health nurse punched patient with dementia

A mental health nurse from Mid Wales has been struck off for punching an elderly man with dementia. Dean Russell Agar, 50, assaulted a 77-year-old mentally ill patient it is claimed.

A disciplinary hearing in Cardiff heard he also filled out observation forms without actually carrying out any checks on patients and that he admitted to taking cigarette breaks when he was in sole charge.

Agar denied the assault, but admitted taking cigarette breaks while being the only nurse on duty at Montgomery Infirmary, near Newtown.

CCTV footage showed confused mentally ill patients wandering around in the early hours of the morning while Agar was supposed to be supervising.

The Nursing and Midwifery Council yesterday banned Agar – who maintains his innocence of the assault – from working as a nurse.

Stephen Barker, chairman of the NMC panel said there had been no apology or remorse shown by Agar, even for the admitted allegations.

"The panel received no positive references or testimonials. The only sufficient sanction is a striking off order," he said.

Mr Ray Short, representing Agar at the hearing at the Parc Hotel in Cardiff, said the former nurse would continue to deny the allegation of assault.

The hearing was told that Agar has not worked in nursing since the assault in February 2008, when he had been working the night shift at the hospital with colleague Avril Hughes.

At around 4am on February 20 the patient – described only as 'Patient A' – was discovered in the corridor about to urinate near a radiator.

Agar claimed he and Miss Hughes had lead him back to the en-suite toilet.

But the following day, staff working the day shift found Patient A appeared 'sad and scared' and said he had been attacked in the night and had been punched in the stomach and held down.

When examined by a doctor four days later, there was visible bruising in the areas the patient claimed to have been punched.

By Andrew Morris