Nurse Is Struck Off After Stealing Drugs And Forging Prescription Sheets

Main Category: Medical Malpractice / Litigation
Also Included In: Nursing / Midwifery
Article Date: 11 Apr 2008 - 3:00 PDT

email to a friend   printer friendly   view / write opinions   rate article

A 33 year old nurse convicted of a string of offences has been struck off the Nursing & Midwifey Council (NMC) register for breaking the NMC's Code of Professional Conduct.

Kevin Murray, 33, was struck off at an NMC Conduct and Competence Committee hearing in London on Friday April 4th after being convicted of stealing drugs from a hospital, fraud and of having forged prescription sheets.

Murray pleaded guilty at Salford City Magistrates' Court on May 23rd 2007 to six separate offences which included possessing a controlled Class A drug - morphine sulphate and possessing a controlled Class B drug - codeine. He also stole hospital prescription sheets.

The independent Conduct and Competence Committee decided to remove Murray from the register because Murray had stolen a large quantity of controlled and other drugs from the hospital where he worked.

He forged doctors' signatures on prescription sheets which he had stolen and completed a prescription that had not been prescribed, putting the patient's life at risk.

The committee decided to strike Murray from the register after finding no evidence of any rehabilitative or corrective steps he may have taken. Nor did did the committee receive adequate references or testimonials.

NMC spokesperson, Colin Joseph, said: "Murray's behaviour was incompatible with being a registrant and was a clear breach of the NMC's Copde of Professional Conduct which says that a registrant should be trustworthy."

Notes

The Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) is the UK regulator for two professions, nursing and midwifery. The primary purpose of the NMC is protection of the public. It does this through maintaining a register of all nurses, midwives and specialist community public health nurses eligible to practise within the UK and by setting standards for their education, training and conduct. Currently the number of registrants exceeds 686,000. The Nursing and Midwifery Order 2001 (The Order), sets out the NMC's role and responsibilities.

Nursing and Midwifery Council