by Tutu Akinlabi

A matron in charge of a care home in the United Kingdom has been accused of unprofessional behaviour by staff after she reportedly took a sex toy to work and exposed her underwear.

Sharon Talbot also neglected her duties by going fishing instead of attending an important meeting.

Talbot embarrassed staff at the Asheborough House Care Centre in Saltash, Cornwall when she discussed her sex life on numerous occasions.

Daily Mail reports:

The senior nurse also took a sex toy into the centre which she showed to the deputy matron, Helen Tolcher, a hearing of the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) in central London was told.

In another alleged incident, Ms Talbot played the Kings Of Leon song Sex On Fire within earshot of another staff member and shouted out of her office window afterwards ‘Come on vicar, complain about this’, the NMC heard.

Ms Talbot failed to attend an end-of-life meeting with a dementia specialist at the home as she had decided to ‘go fishing instead’, it was also alleged.

She also ‘raised her voice’ at the partner of a resident while accusing her of stealing chocolates which had been sent to the resident for his birthday, the NMC was told.

Ms Talbot is also accused of shouting at Ms Tolcher ‘carry on nursing’ in another incident.

Neil Jeffs, for the NMC, said Ms Tolcher had resigned as a result of Ms Talbot’s ‘unprofessional behaviour’ and had subsequently written a letter to Caroline Murphy, the ‘responsible individual at the centre’ outlining her concerns about Ms Talbot’s behaviour.

A further letter, he said, from Ms Tolcher to Ms Murphy in December 2011, signed by 22 members of staff at the home, had outlined allegations against Ms Talbot.

 

‘The letter… includes allegations of constant belittling of staff, staff feeling intimidated and undermined, professional opinions of staff being disregarded to suit the needs of the registrant, staff working under a threat of fear and reprisals, a fear of approaching the registrant for advice and support and the feeling that any grievances raised were perceived as a personal attack by the registrant,’ he said.

He added that directors of the care home’s parent company met to discuss the allegations and Ms Talbot was suspended pending a disciplinary investigation which was to be conducted by Ms Murphy.

Ms Talbot tendered her resignation on December 28 2011, he said, but this was not accepted immediately and she was offered a ‘cooling off’ period which was due to expire on January 10 2012, he told the NMC.

Complaint: The Nursing and Midwifery Council was told that 22 staff at Asheborough House Care Centre in Saltash, Cornwall (pictured) signed a letter outlining allegations against Ms Talbot

 

As Ms Talbot did not contact the home’s operators – Sheval Ltd – by that time, her resignation was accepted with effect from January 11 2012, he told the hearing.

Ms Murphy interviewed 28 members of staff ‘all of which spoke about the registrant’s unprofessional behaviour’, he said.

‘The matter did not proceed to a disciplinary hearing locally because the registrant tendered her resignation but was consequently referred to the NMC,’ Mr Jeffs said.

The allegations against Ms Talbot, who worked at the home between May 2010 and December 2011 – all denied by her – include that she said ‘Polish b****’ and ‘black cow’ in reference to untrained members of staff while talking to Ms Tolcher.

She is also alleged to have screamed at another staff member, instructing that she should ask representatives from the Care Quality Commission (CQC) to leave the centre, saying ‘Get them out of the f****** building’.

Ms Talbot is also alleged to have been lying on the floor in her office when she shouted at another pregnant member of staff while refusing to approve her maternity leave.

Ms Talbot has denied all the accusations against her including allegations of acting in an unprofessional manner towards staff, behaving abusively, intimidating and undermining staff members.

The tribunal continues.