Checks at nursing home where 91-year-old suffered a broken leg and later died 'could have been better'

Santhosh Rajan, of Walsall, who worked as a nurse at Aston Court Nursing Home, Little Aston, near Sutton Coldfield, is accused of mishandling Iris Teale and being 'grossly negligent' in the lead-up to her death.

Mrs Teale was found with the injury in October 2011 and was transferred to Good Hope Hospital in Sutton Coldfield, but passed away just over two weeks later due to a number of health factors.

It is claimed her fractured femur was a significant contributory factor.

Birmingham Crown Court heard yesterday that Jo Corbett, from South East Staffordshire and Seisdon Peninsula Clinical Commissioning Group, reviewed care notes in relation to the grandmother kept by the care home.

When asked by Mr John Butterfield, defending, whether the care home had been ensuring staff were putting the correct policies into practice, Ms Corbett said she found no evidence.

She said: "That monitoring element wasn't as good as it could have been.

"I didn't see any evidence."

Mr Butterfield said three staff were disciplined, one of which was later dismissed, over a separate incident where it was said Mrs Teale had been mishandled when she was lifted from her bed.

The court heard all staff in the care home received training, including Rajan, and staff would be expected to read care plans.

Mrs Teale had been a resident at Aston Court care and residential home since 2006 having previously suffered a stroke.

It is claimed there must have been a high level of force to cause a leg break when Mrs Teale was discovered with the injuries on October 8 in 2011.

Records showed Rajan had been in the room beforehand, but he had said Mrs Teale was sleeping. The leg injury came to light when he went into her room with a care assistant at just after 10pm.

The cause of death was given as heart disease, renal failure and progressive dementia.

Rajan, aged 39, of Bentley Lane, denies manslaughter. The trial continues.