The former boss of a care home who said “women needed to be punched sometimes” has been suspended from the profession.

Richard Khan Lall Mahomed was the registered manager and director of the former Ashley Down Nursing Home in Gravesend.

The Nursing and Midwifery Council found Mahomed’s poor management placed vulnerable residents and staff at “risk of serious harm” after racking up a catalogue of failings.

He was found guilty of misconduct and his registration was suspended for 12 months following the conclusion of a hearing by the nursing sector’s regulator last month.

The home in Clarence Place, which was rated “inadequate” or “requires improvement” on six consecutive inspections, was forced to close after failing to address issues raised by the Care Quality Commission in October 2020.

It has since been taken over by new owners who have given it the new name, Clarence Place Residences, to erase the memory of Ashley Down and have pledged to create a “beautiful, welcoming environment”.

Mahomed, now retired, failed to keep essential medical equipment, including an oxygen monitor, thermometer and blood pressure machine, in good working order, the fitness to practise committee heard.

He also did not have evacuation and emergency contingency plans in place and, on occasion, he did not administer medication on time nor did he record administering it.

The panel also heard evidence he “turned a blind eye” to bad practice rather than take disciplinary action.

A faulty fire alarm system and leaking roof led to the premises not being a safe environment for residents.

One charge noted that on an unknown date the former care home boss said words to the effect of “a staff member needed to be punched sometimes”, and also “Women needed to be punched sometimes”.

The panel recognised the remark was “out of character” but, on the balance of probabilities, decided Mahomed did make it.

A letter from the CQC to the panel said “The registrant’s actions and omissions fell significantly short of the standards expected of a registered nurse and that the actions and omissions amounted to a breach of the Code.

Your misconduct has breached the fundamental tenets of the nursing profession and therefore brought its reputation into disrepute

“It is submitted that the registrant’s conduct amounts to misconduct and should be considered serious.”

Witnesses at the three sets of hearings in April, August and concluding last month, included a representative from the CQC and Kent County Council along with members of staff.

At one stage it was said Mahomed did not fully cooperate with the investigating team and made admissions of shortfalls at a late stage.

In his defence, Aparna Rao from the Royal College of Nursing, said “There is no current impairment.

“His nursing practice itself is not the main subject of the NMC’s apparent concern.”

She added that Mahomed, who has 40 years of experience in nursing, did not intend to return to practise.

She said the “complexity and vagueness” of some of the charges should be considered when looking at the delay in his responses.

The hearing heard there was no evidence to suggest a “harmful deep-seated personality or attitudinal problem” regarding Mahomed.

Ms Rao urged the panel not to” strike off” her client saying he wished to leave the profession with “some dignity”.

Ms Unyime Davies, presenting the case for the NMC, said the panel needed to protect the public and maintain public confidence in the profession.

Mahomed had not shown remorse and there appeared to be no “reflective response”, she said.

The committee concluded: “The panel acknowledges that there was no evidence of actual harm however, finds that patients were put at risk of harm as a result of your misconduct.

“As such, your misconduct has breached the fundamental tenets of the nursing profession and therefore brought its reputation into disrepute.”

It determined that a suspension order for 12 months was appropriate in this case to mark the seriousness of the misconduct.

At the end of the period of suspension, another panel will review the order. At the review hearing the panel may revoke the order, or it may confirm the order, or it may replace the order with another order.

Mahomed qualified in 1969 and bought Ashley Down in 2000, registering with the CQC as the provider in 2010. Kent County Council terminated its contract in May 2020.

Trisha Patel, co-director of Clarence Place Residences – which has no connection with the former business other than its premises – is optimistic the new home will have better ratings than its predecessor.

Speaking ahead of its launch earlier this year, Ms Patel, 42, said “We’re not going to fall into that category.

“We have no affiliation whatsoever with Ashley Down. We are a brand-new set-up and don’t know the owners of the previous home.”

Ms Patel said she envisaged the care home as an extension of the care already offered at her existing nursery.

“It’s the two parts of life,” she said, “the beginning and the end, when you’re at the most vulnerable. It’s a responsibility of the rest of us to make sure they are looked after as part of society.”