Five Year Caution For Drink Driving Nurse, UK

Main Category: Nursing / Midwifery
Article Date: 28 Jul 2008 - 4:00 PDT

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A nurse has received a 5 year caution order from the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) for driving whilst under the influence of excess alcohol.

Tongai Jonathan Mabiza, a 30 year old nurse from Harlow, Essex was convicted at Ealing Magistrates Court on 29th June 2005 of a charge of driving a motor vehicle while over the alcohol limit, for which offence, he was sentenced to pay a fine of £150.00 and was disqualified from driving for a period of 12 months.

At the Conduct and Competence Committee hearing held in London on 16th July, 2008, the independent panel heard that Mabiza, on 23rd December 2005 less than 6 months after his first conviction was arrested for drinking and driving, driving whilst disqualified and driving with no insurance. He received a suspended prison sentence, and was ordered to perform 200 hours unpaid work. He was also disqualified from driving for 3 years. Eight months later he was arrested again for driving whilst disqualified and without insurance.

Commenting on the panel's decision, NMC spokesperson Sarah Connolly said: "The NMC Code of Professional Conduct states that a nurse must protect and support the health of the wider community, act in such a way that justifies the trust and confidence that the public has in him, and uphold and enhance the good reputation of the profession. Driving with excess alcohol and whilst uninsured creates an obvious risk to the public. Breaking the law repeatedly brings the profession into disrepute. Behaviour that compromises this reputation may call a nurse's registration into question even if it's not directly connected to his professional practice"

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 practice 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

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