Nurse ‘failed’ to look after patient
A former mental health nurse at NHS Ayrshire & Arran has avoided being struck off after failing to carry out home visits to a patient who later died by suicide.
Carol Young didn’t conduct, or record, any home visits to the patient over a period of nine months while employed by the health board.
The case, which dates back to 2016, was heard by the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC), who stopped short of a striking-off order.
Instead, they imposed a five-year caution order on Young’s registration.
The tragic patient at the centre of the case, known only as‘Patient A’, took their own life in November 2016.
Young, it was said,‘failed’in her duty of care by not visiting the patient at home between February 5, 2016 and November 10, 2016.
In addition, she failed to conduct a review/risk assessment after being informed on August 30 that year that the patient had stopped taking lithium, a medicine used to control mood disorders.
Young also‘incorrectly’stated she had conducted a visit for Patient A in June 2016 and visited in September 2016. The NMC said those statements were“dishonest”whileYoung now works for a care home provider in Wales.
Young’s fitness to practise was also brought into question when she did not book a follow-up appointment for another patient, known only as‘Patient Y’after cancelling the appointment on December 12, 2016.
According to the NMC, Young had demonstrated“good insight”into her actions, showed“remorse”to Patient A’s family and had apologised to them.
Young, it was said, had faced “significant personal and professional issues”whilst working for NHS Ayrshire & Arran and had demonstrated a “prolonged period of safe and effective practice”since the allegations arose.
But the NMC said the caution order would be a“sharp reminder”of the standards expected of a registered nurse and that Young’s misconduct had to be marked to send a“clear message” to the profession.
Jennifer Wilson, nurse director at NHS Ayrshire & Arran, said in a statement:“To respect and maintain former employee confidentiality, it is inappropriate to comment further.”