A NURSING standards watchdog has apologised to a Hampshire care home wrongly named as employing a nurse who put residents at “real risk of harm”.

Nurse Nigel Willey admitted a catalogue of wide-ranging failings relating to the care of patients who relied on him for their health and safety and was subsequently struck off.

The Nursing and Midwifery Council, who carried out the investigation, wrongly stated that the home where he worked was in Hampshire.

But yesterday it emerged that the St George’s Care Home which employed Willey is not in Milford on Sea, as reported, but actually based in Stalybridge, Cheshire, and has no connection to the home of the same name in Hampshire.

Last night a spokesman for the Nursing and Midwifery Council said she would be apologising to the home, which subsequently featured in a report that appeared in the Southern Daily Echo.

She added: “Our sincere apologies that the information we published on our website was incorrect on this occasion.

“The NMC holds around 40 fitness to practise hearings every week.

“We aim to provide clear and accurate information in advance of each of these hearings.

“Unfortunately, due to human error, we mistakenly identified a nurse’s employer as being based in Hampshire on our website, when this was not the case.

“We are very sorry for the inconvenience this has caused.”

During its last inspection in February last year by the Care Quality Commission (CQC), the home met all five of the necessary Government standards.

Inspectors also wrote: “Relatives we spoke with told us that the home was ‘homely’ and spoke about the provider with high regard; although they said they could also speak freely with all staff.

“The staff conduct themselves in a caring and professional manner.”

Daily Echo editor Ian Murray apologised to the home for any distress the article may have caused.

He said the paper had based its article on the inaccurate report given by the Nursing and Midwifery Council.

Daily Echo staff had tried to contact the management before publication, but the phone was not answered and there was no method to leave a message.

Mr Murray said: “While this mistake may have been due to an unfortunate human error by the Nursing and Midwifery Council and we published the article in good faith, I would like to apologise to the home for any concerns and upset it may have caused to management, staff, residents and relatives.”