NHS nurse who lost job after getting caught stealing tablets from hospital told she's a ‘risk to the public'
An NHS nurse lost her job after she was caught stealing headache tablets while on shift.
An NHS panel has found that Franchesca Morgan, who worked at Arrowe Park Hospital near Liverpool at the time, is deemed to pose 'a continuing risk to the public'.
A covert surveillance operation in the hospital to determine who was stealing medication caught Franchesca in June 2022 taking medication for headaches on two separate occasions without written permission.
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Franchesca thought it was 'commonplace' to take medication while on shift, and was caught taking paracetamol and co-codamol after feeling unwell during her shift.
In December 2022, Franchesca pleaded guilty to two counts of theft by an employee at Wirral Magistrates' Court. At the time, she explained that she thought she and other nurses were allowed to take the medication during their shifts.
As a result of the prosecution, Franchesca was handed a 12-month conditional discharge in December 2022 and also ordered to pay £144 in costs and victim surcharge fees.
Following the criminal case, Franchesca lost her job at Arrowe Park Hospital, was forced to give up her home and move in to live with her grandmother.
Now 18 months later, she's been dealt another blow as a medical board has now ruled that she cannot return to her nursing profession for another six months.
In a reflective statement, Franchesca explained: "I realise it is not acceptable to take medication belonging to the ward as this could be seen as theft. I have spent many hours reflecting on the situation I placed myself in."
However the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) have ruled that her medical licence be suspended meaning she cannot return to the nursing profession for six months as an investigation and a panel found that she hadn't appeared to display enough insight into her actions.
Discussing their decision, they said: "The panel was not convinced that Miss Morgan demonstrated a full or developed understanding of the issues raised by the proven allegations.
"We consider there is a continuing risk to the public due to the registrant's lack of full insight and failure to confirm how she would prevent it from occurring again."
The panel did note the hardship Franchesca faces without a job as they added: "The panel noted the hardship such an order will inevitably cause Miss Morgan.
"However, this is outweighed by the public interest in this case. The panel considered that this order is 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.
"The panel determined that a suspension order for a period of 6 months was appropriate in this case to mark the seriousness of the misconduct."
Niamh Spence