Nurse Convicted For Cocaine Possession Struck Off Nursing & Midwifery Council Register

Main Category: Nursing / Midwifery
Also Included In: Litigation / Medical Malpractice
Article Date: 05 Oct 2008 - 0:00 PDT

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A nurse who was convicted at Leicester Magistrates Court for possession of 2.14g of cocaine in February 2007 was struck of the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) register at a hearing in London on 26 September 2008.

Asif McGuinness, a 40 year old Registered Nurse (Mental Health) from Knighton, Leicester was fined £200 for contravening section 5 and schedule 4 of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971.

An independent panel of the NMC's Conduct and Competence Committee accepted that his fitness to practise was impaired by reason of his conviction. He was in breech of his Code of Conduct which states that he must act in such a way that justifies the trust and confidence the public have in him as a registered nurse. He is also expected to adhere to UK law and behave in a way that upholds and enhances the good reputation of the profession.

Commenting on the panel's decision to strike Mr McGuinness from the Register, NMC spokesperson Leila Harris-Ryberg said: "Although this was an isolated incident it was deliberate and involved a class A drug. Mr McGuinness's behaviour was such a serious departure from the standards expected in his Code of Conduct that striking him off the register is the only appropriate action to take. Public confidence in the NMC would be seriously undermined if he was not removed from the register."

The Nursing & Midwifery Council (NMC) is the UK regulator for two professions, nursing and midwifery. To be eligible to work as a nurse or midwife in the UK, they must be registered with the NMC. There are currently more than 674,000 nurses and midwives on the register. The primary purpose of the NMC is to safeguard the health and wellbeing of the public. It does this through maintaining a register of all nurses and midwives to practise within the UK and by setting standards for their education, training and conduct.

Nursing & Midwifery Council