Nurse Who Gave Anti-Psychotic Drug To Treat Diarrhoea Struck Off, UK

Main Category: Litigation / Medical Malpractice
Also Included In: Nursing / Midwifery
Article Date: 07 Dec 2007 - 4:00 PDT

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A 40 year old mental health nurse from Gloucester who gave a patient an anti-psychotic drug without their knowledge will no longer be allowed to work as a nurse.

Ms Modipadi Salome Malatsi was struck off the register by an independent panel of the Nursing and Midwifery Council's Conduct and Competence Committee in London.

Ms Malatsi, who was not present at the hearing, was charged with maladministration of drugs whilst employed at Wotton Lawn Hospital and of providing a false reference when applying for a job with Gloucestershire Partnership NHS Trust.

The independent panel heard evidence which proved each of the charges and determined that her actions breeched the NMC Code of Conduct in that she failed to behave in a way that upholds the reputation of the profession, and failed to gain consent before providing care by way of administering an anti-psychotic drug under the guise of medication to treat diarrhoea.

Commenting on the outcome of the hearing, NMC spokesperson Leila Harris said,

"The panel reached this decision having heard evidence that proved the two charges. Her actions were a clear breech of her Code of Conduct her decision to mislead a patient about the medication she was administering was a particularly serious charge. The independent panel felt that in order to protect the public and maintain public confidence in the profession, it was necessary to strike her off the register."

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 682,000. The Nursing and Midwifery Order 2001 (The Order), sets out the NMC's role and responsibilities.

The independent panel is selected from a pool of individuals appointed by the Appointments Board. They come from a variety of backgrounds and are not NMC Council members, nor do they sit on any committee of the Council.

Nursing and Midwifery Council