Nurse who took £770k from ‘vulnerable and lonely’ 99-year-old is struck off

Ms Burwood secured lasting power of attorney (LPA) over the woman’s property and financial affairs on May 5 2018, reportedly without informing anyone else at the care home where she worked.

The committee imposed a striking-off order, removing Ms Burwood from the professional register entirely.

Before the pensioner’s admission to Bryn Yr Haul, the nurse transferred ownership of her house, estimated at around £400,000, to herself.

Over five years, more than £370,000 was drained from the elderly woman’s bank account, with £160,000 withdrawn in large cash amounts from ATMs.

The nurse also convinced the resident to hand over £20,000 for a car and £9,000 for a campervan, claiming the vehicles would enable the pair to enjoy outings together.

Burwood was simultaneously overseeing the woman’s care at the home while controlling her finances.

The committee found that Ms Burwood resorted to “emotional blackmail,” warning the pensioner she would no longer be able to take her on days out unless she could access her funds.

Staff noted she was “withdrawing large sums of money almost daily” from the account.

When the bank froze the woman’s account because of concerns about the spending pattern, Ms Burwood tried to have the restrictions removed, bringing the resident to a branch in person.

Bank employees described Ms Burwood as “almost blackmailing” the elderly woman, instructing her to request that the accounts be unlocked.

The committee heard that the woman regarded Ms Burwood as a friend and believed she had “learned from her mistakes”, however, had told safeguarding staff she was shocked and disappointed by the amount that had been spent from her account.

In written statements to the panel, Ms Burwood said: “I now recognise that, even where a gift is offered voluntarily or with good intentions, as was the case here for me, accepting anything beyond a trivial token can compromise, or appear to compromise, professional judgment.

“[The elderly woman] was not only someone I later encountered in a professional context, but someone I had known for many years and came to see as a dear friend and grandmother-type figure.

“I had no understanding of the scope of an LPA and now recognise that this was a major failing on my part.”

The nursing panel branded Ms Burwood’s conduct “deplorable and a disgrace to the profession” in its ruling.

While Ms Burwood maintained the woman had consented to gifting her assets, the committee said evidence contradicted this claim: the pensioner was “shocked and disappointed at the amount of money being spent.”

The panel concluded it was “improbable” that the resident would have “knowingly and willingly given away her home and substantial sums of money, leaving her with only a modest amount of cash and the risk of not being able to fund her own care.”

The woman, who has since died, had been left with sufficient funds to cover just 23 months of care before the local council would have needed to step in.

Operations director at Bryn Yr Haul nursing home James Bradford said the team there was “deeply saddened by this incident” and “extend our sincere apologies to everyone affected”.

He told the BBC: “The welfare and safeguarding of our residents remain our absolute priority.

“We fully support the NMC’s decision and, since these events, there have been changes in management, and our safeguarding policies and procedures have been reviewed to ensure the continued safety and wellbeing of everyone in our care.”