Mental health nurse struck off by Nursing and Midwifery Council

A Fife mental health nurse has been struck off by a care watchdog after his fitness to practise was found to be impaired.

Andrew Hardie Anderson admitted that he attended work in an unfit state to carry out the duties of a nurse in October 2014.

He also admitted failing to cooperate with an investigation by the Nursing and Midwifery Council in August 2016 by not consenting to a medical examination.

Hardie appeared before a conduct and competence committee and was initially suspended for 12 months.

A further two reviews by the watchdog extended the suspension order twice after they found Anderson had failed to cooperate with their recommendation for dealing with the issue.

A decision notice by the NMC said: “The panel is of the view that such limited engagement, lack of remediation and continued lack of insight is fundamentally incompatible with being a registered professional.

“It is for these reasons that the panel has concluded that a striking off order is the only sanction that would adequately protect the public and serve the public interest.

“This includes maintaining confidence in the regulatory process.”

Anderson, who did not attend the final hearing, had asked the panel to consider extending the suspension order again.

However, he added: “I still fully acknowledge that I should not have been working on the days under consideration.

“I understand that the safety and wellbeing of both inpatients and colleagues was compromised as a result.”