Nurse Struck Off Over Benefit Fraud, UK

Main Category: Litigation / Medical Malpractice
Also Included In: Nursing / Midwifery
Article Date: 22 Jan 2008 - 2:00 PDT

email to a friend   printer friendly   opinions  

A 53 year old Registered Mental Health Nurse from Frinton-on-sea, Essex has been struck off the Nursing and Midwifery register after she breached her employment contract and stole a company vehicle.

Anne Marie Roberts was employed as the Registered Manager and Registered Person in charge at Seaside Lodge Nursing Home when on a day between 23 February 2004 and 02 March 2004 she left her employment without giving notice and took the company vehicle that had been provided to her as a benefit of her employment.

An independent panel of the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) Conduct and Competence Committee heard evidence to the effect that the reason Ms Roberts broke her contract was because she had been working whilst claiming benefits and that the Department of Social Services had caught up with her.

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

"The independent panel reached this conclusion in light of the seriousness of the charges brought before it. Her behaviour was dishonest and in breach of the NMC Code of Professional Conduct, specifically that she did not adhere to the laws of this country and did not act in a trustworthy manner. Her conduct was unworthy of a registered nurse and although the charges did not relate to her skills, the panel has a duty to act in the public's interest and to preserve the public's confidence in the profession. For this reason, they decided that it was in the public's best interest to strike Ms Roberts 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

• Additional
• References
• Citations