MEDICS have struck off a Radcliffe nurse who slapped and swore at one patient and likened another to a beached whale.

Irene Thomas, of Grosvenor Street, was found guilty of four charges of misconduct by the professional conduct committee of the UK Central Council for Nursing, Midwifery and Health Visiting (UKCC).

Her name has now been removed from the register, preventing her from working as a registered nurse anywhere in the country.

The offences took place during August 1998 while Mrs Thomas was employed at Langfield Nursing and Residential Home in Middleton.

The charges related to:

slapping a patient's face.

swearing at the patient.

speaking inappropriately to a care assistant, saying words to the effect of "you haven't seen that, otherwise I could lose my job" speaking abusively about a second patient by likening her to a beached whale.

UKCC director of professional conduct Liz McAnulty said, after Monday's hearing: "The UKCC exists to protect the public and operates a zero tolerance of the abuse of patients by registered nurses. This includes both physical and verbal abuse.

"Mrs Thomas's conduct fell significantly short of the standards expected by the public and required by the UKCC."

Mrs Thomas, who refused to attend Monday's hearing "on principle" said later she thought her treatment was "out of order".

She said: "I admit I slapped the patient, but that was because she was hysterical and was attacking me." She denied all the other allegations.

Mrs Thomas began her career in 1962 and was a midwife in Bury until 1970 when she worked as a general nurse in hospitals in North Manchester until 1992. After that she was employed by various nursing agencies.

Explaining why she resigned shortly after the incident at the Langfield Nursing and Residential Home, she said: "I was getting no satisfaction or enjoyment from the work so I decided to pack it in."