A FORMER nursing director admitted she signed a letter allowing a care home to stay open, even though she knew about breaches in standards.

Christine Hayes, former director of nursing for Caerphilly Teaching Local Health Board, is facing three charges relating to ongoing concerns at Brithdir Care Home near New Tredegar.

The home was one of six in South Wales owned by Puretruce Healthcare Ltd, which was at the centre of a seven-year, £11.6 million investigation by police into alleged neglect.

A trial of Puretruce Healthcare Ltd and owners Dr Prana Das, from Newport, and co-accused Paul Black collapsed last year after Dr Das was brain-damaged following an attack in his home.

The Brithdir home housed up to 40 residents with learning difficulties, dementia and mental infirmity and received funded nursing care commissioned by the Caerphilly health board.

Hayes, employed as director from 1 April, 2003 to 2006, appeared at a meeting of the Nursing & Midwifery Council’s conduct and competence committee in Cardiff yesterday.

Represented by Alasdair Henderson, she accepts her responsibility was to ensure adequate standards of nursing care but denies she failed to act in accordance with that responsibility.

Mr Henderson said Hayes admitted acting as a joint signatory to a letter to PuretruceHealthcare Ltd in December 2004 to allow Brithdir Care Home to stay open.

He also said she admitted knowledge of concerns at the care home including difficulties over finances and persistent failures to remedy breaches in standards identified in reports.

She also admitted to knowledge of breaches of contract between Caerphilly County Borough Council and the care home. But she denies failing to put sufficient safeguards or interventions in place to ensure the funded residents were receiving an adequate standard of care.

She also denies knowledge of multiple Protection of Vulnerable Adults investigations into the care home.

Five witnesses will give evidence at the ongoing hearing today and tomorrow. Witnesses include Bridget Penhale, an expert on adult protection who worked closely with Gwent Police.

Mary-Teresa Deignan, presenting the case on behalf of the Nursing & Midwifery Council, said concerns were raised by Ms Penhale about the Brithdir home.

Proceeding.