A custody nurse who failed to make full clinical checks on two 'vulnerable' men being detained in North East police cells has been suspended for a year.
Janice Brady falsely claimed on her clinical notes that she had made complete checks on an "intoxicated Type II diabetic patient" and a mentally ill detainee "on a range of medication".
But CCTV revealed that she had gone into one patient's cell but not "engaged with him", and not gone into another man's cell at all.
Now a disciplinary panel has ruled Brady should be suspended from the profession after finding her actions "meant that two vulnerable patients did not benefit from appropriate monitoring and observations".
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A report of the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) hearing said at the time of the incidents she was employed as a forensic nurse practitioner by Mitie Care and Custody.
The panel were told that on December 21 2017 Brady's line manager (Ms 1) was approached by a detention officer at Southwick Police Station in Sunderland, who said he didn't believe she had carried out clinical observations correctly on an intoxicated Type II diabetic patient two days earlier.
A report of the hearing said: "Ms 1 reviewed Patient B’s clinical notes and saw that Mrs Brady had recorded several clinical observations including respiratory rate, oxygen saturation, pupil size and reaction, pulse rate and blood sugar levels.
"Ms 1 reviewed the CCTV coverage available at the station and saw that Mrs Brady did enter the patient’s cell but did not appear to engage with him. Mrs Brady appeared only to take the patient’s blood sugar levels, but no other observations.
"Mrs Brady did not appear to check the patient’s pulse, nor was she carrying a Sats probe for oxygen saturation or a pen torch for pupil reaction."
A CCTV review of all Brady's interactions with detainees over the previous 28 days was launched and a "further incident of concern" was found from December 1 2017 at Middle Engine Lane police station in Wallsend.
The NMC report said: "On this occasion Mrs Brady documented a full set of observations as having been conducted including pulse rate, respiratory rate, oxygen saturation, pupil size and reaction.
"The patient (Patient A) had a history of mental illness (delusional disorder) and was on a range of medication.
"On the CCTV footage, Mrs Brady at no stage enters the patient’s cell or makes contact with him, instead speaking to the patient through a cell hatch and handing some medication in a small cup through said hatch."
The panel heard that Brady "could not believe she was capable of this" when she first heard the allegations, but later accepted she did not carry out full observations on either patient.
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The report said: "She has no recollection of having completed the observation sheets but admits that the handwriting on the observation sheets is her own.
"She says she is 'horrified' by this and accepts responsibility. She apologises and recognises her actions as dishonest."
The panel heard at the time of the misconduct Brady was suffering "a number of difficult personal circumstances".
They ruled that she should be suspended from the profession for 12 months, saying, "While neither patient came to any harm on this occasion, Mrs Brady’s actions meant that two vulnerable patients did not benefit from appropriate monitoring and observations.
"This carries an inherent unwarranted risk of harm, particularly in a non-hospital setting where other opportunities for care may not be available."
Mitie Care and Custody declined to comment.
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