Sick pay nurse working shifts
JON MACPHERSON
AMENTAL health nurse who fraudulently claimed nearly £8,500 in sick pay while working shifts at another nursing home is facing being struck off.
Madeline Abdilla worked for Lancashire Care NHS Foundation Trust at Balladen House mental health resource centre in Rawtenstall as a specialist practitioner.
A Nursing and Mid- wifery Council (NMC) fitness to practice hearing was told that between June and December 2016 she claimed to be ‘too unwell’ to work and had no other employment so received £8,492.29.
However the panel heard that she was later discovered to be working shifts at Church View Nursing Home in Accrington. The money was claimed from the NHS Trust through her payroll.
When NHS bosses confronted her she made ‘full admissions’ and also confessed to working at the nursing home in April, July and November 2015 when she claimed to be too ill to work.
She also admitted lying to her line manager about the extra shifts during her return to work interview.
Abdilla pleaded guilty to fraud at Greater Manchester Magistrates Court in December 2017 and was given a six-month jail sentence, suspended for 24 months and ordered to pay £8,500 compensation and £85 costs.
The nurse, who was not present at the hearing in London and has no previous disciplinary matters on her record, has now been given an 18-month interim suspension by the NMC. Pending any possible appeal she will then be struck off as a registered nurse.
The NMC said her conviction ‘reflects a significant period of sustained dishonesty’ and the fraud was ‘premeditated, systematic and longstanding’ resulting in a ‘significant financial gain’.
Panel chairman David Newman said: “Offences of sustained dishonesty for personal gain seriously undermine public confidence in the profession and the reputation of the profession.
A Lancashire Care NHS Foundation Trust spokesperson said: “The Trust sets very high standards for its staff in line with professional codes of conduct and the Trust’s core values. There were issues with the professional conduct of this person, which were dealt with appropriately and this member of staff no longer works for the Trust.
“Our main priority was to ensure that there was no negative impact on our patients and we made the appropriate follow up checks to ensure that this was the case.” A LEADING planning body were ‘impressed’ on a tour of two town centre developments.
Two senior members of the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI) visited the McDonald’s drive thru restaurant and Spinning Point, in Rawtenstall.
Rossendale council won the best practice award at the 2017 RTPI North West Awards for Planning Excellence for the McDonald’s.
The Spinning Point scheme includes the recently-completed restoration of the former town hall and plans for a hotel, spa and housing.
The development by RTB Partnership – a Rossendale council, Together Housing Group and Barnfield Investment Properties joint venture – won the regeneration award at last year’s RTPI regional awards.
Council leader Alyson Barnes said: “They were impressed by the feel of the place and what Rawtenstall has to offer, and really liked Bank Street with its independent shops, cafes, bars and restaurants.
“While there is still some way to go, the refurbishment of the former town hall into offices for Together Housing is a tangible sign of progress on Spinning Point.”