Nurse Convicted Of 21 Counts Of Theft Is Struck Off, UK

Main Category: Nursing / Midwifery
Also Included In: Medical Malpractice / Litigation
Article Date: 09 Jun 2008 - 3:00 PDT

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A 35 year old nurse from Salisbury, Wiltshire has been struck off the register following a hearing in London by the Nursing and Midwifery (NMC) independent Conduct and Competence Committee panel.

Adam Dyer, who worked at Salisbury NHS Foundation Trust, was struck off the register as a result of his criminal conviction for theft of controlled drugs which impaired his fitness to practise.

The independent panel heard that on the 19th October 2006, after being convicted of 21 counts of theft, Dyer was sentenced to 15 months imprisonment. The situation arose directly from the Registrant's position as a nurse having control of the drugs that he stole.

The evidence put before the panel showed that the Registrant had gone to great steps to conceal the removal of the drugs and had fabricated evidence to support his actions. Those actions had been repeated over a period of two months. The panel found Dyer's conviction to be a clear breach of the Code of Conduct resulting in a striking off order.

Commenting on the panel's decision, NMC spokesperson Sarah Connolly, said: "Registrants must behave in a way that upholds the reputation of the professions. Behaviour that compromises this reputation may call your registration into question even if not directly connected to your practice. Mr. Dyer's offences involved the theft of controlled drugs. There is a real risk of repetition in this instance and it therefore is in the interests of both the public and the Registrant that he is removed from this working environment"

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 674,000. The Nursing and Midwifery Order 2001 (The Order), sets out the NMC's role and responsibilities.

Nursing and Midwifery Council