Nurse struck off following High Court decision

Following an appeal by the Professional Standards Authority (PSA) to the High Court, the Court has ordered that nurse Melanie Hayes be struck off the NMC’s register. The PSA appeal was against an original decision of the NMC’s Fitness to Practise Committee, which the PSA considered was insufficient to protect the public. The Court approved a consent order agreed by all the parties.

Andrea Sutcliffe, Chief Executive and Registrar at the NMC, said:

“I’m very sorry that our original decision wasn’t the right one, and I know how much concern that caused. I hope people feel reassured that by recognising this and referring our decision to the PSA, we’ve now reached an appropriate outcome, with the High Court deciding that Ms Hayes should be removed from our register.

“We’re absolutely committed to learning from this and making sure that we have suitable guidance and training in place to enable us and our independent Fitness to Practise panels to make the right decisions in cases concerning racism or any other form of discrimination.”

Notes

1. The independent fitness to practise panel’s decision was to accept the provisional consensual panel determination (CPD) which had been agreed between the NMC and Ms Hayes.

a. A CPD is when the NMC agrees with the registrant that their fitness to practise is impaired, and what the appropriate sanction is. The registrant must admit the factual allegations against them. The agreement is put in writing, and a panel is asked to consider it.

2. Following this decision the NMC asked the PSA to consider exercising its power to refer the case to the High Court.

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