Ebola nurse faces disciplinary probe over hidden illness claim
THE Scots nurse who was diagnosed with Ebola hours after returning to the UK faces disciplinary action over allegations that she concealed feeling unwell until she had left Africa.
Pauline Cafferkey, 39, from Cambuslang in Lanarkshire, is one of three nurses being investigated by their governing body, the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC). Two doctors are also under scrutiny from the General Medical Council.
Ms Cafferkey spent nearly a month in an isolation unit in January after being diagnosed with Ebola after returning to Scotland from Sierra Leone on December 28.
The nurse, who had been working with Save the Children, reportedly underwent seven temperature tests at Heathrow which detected that she was above the safe limit – and that others present were aware of this – but the result was not reported.
She was allowed to board a British Airways flight on to Glasgow Airport, but was admitted to the city’s Gartnavel hospital within eight hours of landing.
Ms Cafferkey’s fitness to practice is now under scrutiny, along with that of her colleagues, amid allegations that signs of her illness might have been ignored prior to leaving Africa.
All three could be struck off if they are judged to have broken professional standards.
An interim hearing to decide whether Ms Cafferkey and colleagues should be placed on restricted duties pending the investigation could be held within days.
A spokesman for Ms Cafferkey said: “Since she returned from Sierra Leone, Ms Cafferkey has fully cooperated with all investigations by the relevant bodies and she will continue to do so.
An NMC spokeswoman said: “We can confirm that we are investigating allegations about the conduct of three nurses. It would not be appropriate to comment further at this time”.