Nurses struck off for falsifying waiting times

Posted 22/09/2013

Two Stafford Hospital nurses who falsified A&E discharge times have been struck off the nursing register. The Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) panel found that they had brought their profession into serious disrepute. The false recording took place between 2000 and 2010 and was done to avoid breaches of four-hour waiting targets.

Meanwhile a panel has found that two other Stafford Hospital nurses failed to read the notes of a patient to find out if she was diabetic and gave her insulin which led to her untimely death. One of these nurses has admitted to swearing at members of staff and failing to ensure that records on the ward were properly maintained. The panel are to decide if their fitness to practise has been impaired, and if so, what sanctions they should face. This could include striking them off the medical register.

Julie Crossley, a medical injury lawyer from Ashtons Legal, comments: “These reports make sad reading but hopefully will send out a message to other Trusts and medical practitioners that this sort of practice cannot be tolerated”.