By . Harriet Arkell . PUBLISHED: . 07:52 EST, 20 January 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 09:21 EST, 20 January 2014 . Nigel Phillips, 58, faces being struck off after stuffing paper towels into an elderly dementia patient's mouth at a Bupa care home in Hartlepool . A head nurse who stuffed paper towels into a dementia sufferer’s mouth to make her 'shut up' faces being struck off for life. Nigel Phillips, 58, of Stockton-on-Tees, also bent the elderly woman's fingers back as he treated cuts on her hands at the Bupa care home in Hartlepool, County Durham where he was head of mental nursing. Phillips, who accepted a police caution after admitting carrying out the attack on November 27 last year, said in his defence that he was 'stressed' because of difficult family circumstances. He has now been suspended for 18 months on the grounds of 'public protection' pending an investigation by the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) into the incident at the Brierton Lodge home. The 58-bed home charges up to £619 a week and caters for patients with physical disabilities, dementia, elderly patients and those with other mental health issues. A report by the NMC's Conduct and Competence Committee said: 'Mr Phillips was at the time a senior nurse with considerable experience who should have been able to be relied upon to provide proper care to vulnerable patients.' It says: 'It is alleged that while tending to cuts on the fingers of a vulnerable female, elderly resident with dementia, Mr Phillips bent her fingers back and forcefully squeezed her hand, shouted in her face to "Shut up", and stuffed paper towel in her mouth. 'Mr Phillips indicated that he recalled shouting but not what he said or that he had shouted in the resident's face.  He acknowledged stuffing the paper towel in the resident's mouth. 'He indicated he had been stressed at the time due to difficult family circumstances.' The case is currently being investigated and Phillips, who did not attend an initial NMC hearing into the case last month, could face being barred from practising as a nurse again if the allegations against him are upheld. Care home: Nigel Phillips was head of mental health nursing at the Brierton Lodge care home at the time . Vulnerable: The 58-bed care home charges up to £619 per week to look after patients with dementia, physical disabilities and other medical issues . Bupa's website says Brierton Lodge offers 'nursing care for long or short stays, including convalescence, care for people with Parkinson’s disease and for those with dementia. 'The team here also have a great deal of expertise and are highly trained to deliver excellent palliative care.' The home, which opened in 1995, offers a hairdressing salon, shop and multi-sensory room, and residents have access to speech therapy, occupational therapy, chiropody, physiotherapy and aromatherapy. A Bupa spokesman for the home said: 'Our residents’ well being is our number one priority. We acted immediately, removed the nurse from the home and reported him to the relevant authorities.'
Nigel Phillips attacked vulnerable female at a Bupa care home in Hartlepool .
He shouted at her and bent her fingers back while dressing cuts on hands .
The 58-year-old was head of mental nursing at the Brierton Lodge home .
He admitted it and told police he was 'stressed' by 'family circumstances'
Phillips, of Stockton-on-Tees, accepted a police caution over the attack .
He is now suspended while the Nursing and Midwifery Council investigates .
By . Harriet Arkell . PUBLISHED: . 07:52 EST, 20 January 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 09:21 EST, 20 January 2014 . Nigel Phillips, 58, faces being struck off after stuffing paper towels into an elderly dementia patient's mouth at a Bupa care home in Hartlepool . A head nurse who stuffed paper towels into a dementia sufferer’s mouth to make her 'shut up' faces being struck off for life. Nigel Phillips, 58, of Stockton-on-Tees, also bent the elderly woman's fingers back as he treated cuts on her hands at the Bupa care home in Hartlepool, County Durham where he was head of mental nursing. Phillips, who accepted a police caution after admitting carrying out the attack on November 27 last year, said in his defence that he was 'stressed' because of difficult family circumstances. He has now been suspended for 18 months on the grounds of 'public protection' pending an investigation by the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) into the incident at the Brierton Lodge home. The 58-bed home charges up to £619 a week and caters for patients with physical disabilities, dementia, elderly patients and those with other mental health issues. A report by the NMC's Conduct and Competence Committee said: 'Mr Phillips was at the time a senior nurse with considerable experience who should have been able to be relied upon to provide proper care to vulnerable patients.' It says: 'It is alleged that while tending to cuts on the fingers of a vulnerable female, elderly resident with dementia, Mr Phillips bent her fingers back and forcefully squeezed her hand, shouted in her face to "Shut up", and stuffed paper towel in her mouth. 'Mr Phillips indicated that he recalled shouting but not what he said or that he had shouted in the resident's face.  He acknowledged stuffing the paper towel in the resident's mouth. 'He indicated he had been stressed at the time due to difficult family circumstances.' The case is currently being investigated and Phillips, who did not attend an initial NMC hearing into the case last month, could face being barred from practising as a nurse again if the allegations against him are upheld. Care home: Nigel Phillips was head of mental health nursing at the Brierton Lodge care home at the time . Vulnerable: The 58-bed care home charges up to £619 per week to look after patients with dementia, physical disabilities and other medical issues . Bupa's website says Brierton Lodge offers 'nursing care for long or short stays, including convalescence, care for people with Parkinson’s disease and for those with dementia. 'The team here also have a great deal of expertise and are highly trained to deliver excellent palliative care.' The home, which opened in 1995, offers a hairdressing salon, shop and multi-sensory room, and residents have access to speech therapy, occupational therapy, chiropody, physiotherapy and aromatherapy. A Bupa spokesman for the home said: 'Our residents’ well being is our number one priority. We acted immediately, removed the nurse from the home and reported him to the relevant authorities.'
home in Hartlepool . A head nurse who stuffed life. Nigel Phillips, 58, of Stockton-on-Tees, treated cuts on her hands at the Bupa care home mental nursing. Phillips, who accepted a police that he was 'stressed' because of difficult family circumstances. He has now been suspended Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) into the incident at the Brierton Lodge home. The 58-bed Phillips bent her fingers back and forcefully was head of mental health nursing at the Brierton