Former Armagh care home nurse struck off after admitting theft

AN Armagh nurse who stole drugs and falsified medical records has been struck off.

The case against Camila Andre arose from her conduct while working at Hamilton Court Care Home in Armagh.

The Nursing and Midwifery Council Fitness to Practise Committee found her ability to practise was impared and imposed the striking off order - with an intrim suspension order of 18 months to cover any period of appeal.

The charges arose whilst Miss Andre was employed as a registered nurse by Hamilton Court Care Home.

It was alleged that in February or March 2022, a manager of the home completed a resident medication audit and noted that Miss Andre had recorded the destruction of 62 Cocodamol tablets on the Daily Stock Check List for Restricted Medication.

When questioned about why she had disposed of the tablets, Miss Andre stated that she had destroyed these for counting purposes because they were over-stocked, and to minimise discrepancies.

When questioned about missing 8x30mg Codeine tablets, she denied any knowledge of this.

Miss Andre failed to make a note of the destruction of the tablets in the Drug Disposal Book. This action does not comply with the home’s policy of medication disposals.

It was further alleged that on 8 March 2022, after further investigations into the disposal of medications, the manager of the Home noticed discrepancies in what was recorded and Miss Andre was further questioned about this, but denied knowing anything more.

Later that day, it is said that Miss Andre requested her manager meet her outside in the carpark where she admitted to taking the Co-codamol and Codeine tablets.

It was noted Miss Andre had, on 18 June 2022, received a police caution for theft and possession of class B controlled substances

Miss Andre no longer works for the home.

At the outset of the hearing, the panel heard from Mr McGettigan, who informed the panel that Miss Andre made full admissions to four of the charges.

In imposing its sanction, the panel stated: “Miss Andre’s actions were a significant departure from the standards expected of a registered nurse, and are fundamentally incompatible with her remaining on the register.

“The panel took into account that this was the third regulatory finding, in under 10 years, against Miss Andre which included findings of dishonesty.

“The panel considered that Miss Andre had not acted with integrity on a number of occasions and that her conduct had breached fundamental tenets of the nursing profession namely, honesty and integrity.

“The panel was of the view that the findings in this particular case demonstrate that Miss Andre’s actions were serious and to allow her to continue practising would undermine public confidence in the profession and in the NMC as a regulatory body.”

The panel added, “Balancing all of these factors and after taking into account all the evidence before it during this case, the panel determined that the appropriate and proportionate sanction is that of a striking-off order.

“Having regard to the effect of Miss Andre’s actions in bringing the profession into disrepute by adversely affecting the public’s view of how a registered nurse should conduct herself, the panel has concluded that nothing short of this would be sufficient in this case.”

They added: “The panel considered that this order was necessary to mark the importance of maintaining public confidence in the profession, and to send to the public and the profession a clear message about the standard of behaviour required of a registered nurse.”