Alcohol misuse nurse crashed drink-driving to work

A substance misuse nurse has been suspended for 12 months after she crashed her car on the way to work while at twice the legal alcohol limit, a misconduct panel has heard.

Heather Taylor hit a central reservation after swerving to avoid a pedestrian in December 2022 and was later convicted of drink-driving, the Nursing and Midwifery Council's Fitness to Practise Committee was told.

But she failed to inform her employers at Midlands Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust.

The panel ruled Miss Taylor's fitness to practise was impaired by her conviction and misconduct and she lacked integrity by not telling her employers.

On the morning of 13 December, Miss Taylor, a Band 6 Health and Wellbeing Nurse for Substance Misuse based in Staffordshire, had 75 micrograms of alcohol per 100 millilitres of breath, compared with the legal limit of 35 micrograms, the hearing was told.

She was convicted by magistrates in Telford on 24 January 2024.

Tribunal panel members heard that a breathalyser result at the scene had a reading of three times the legal limit, with the evidential test later recorded at the police station showing over two times the legal limit.

Given her role included working with people with substance misuse issues, that would have led her to "understand more fully the effect of alcohol and driving when attending work the morning after consuming alcohol", they heard.

In a 30-page decision, the panel said Miss Taylor, who referred herself to the NMC, had also failed to preserve patient safety by intending to attend work while under the influence of alcohol.

They said she had not "recognised the risk of her actions, the damage to public confidence in the profession, and how far her conduct fell short of professional standards expected from a registered nurse".

Miss Taylor made an "egregious and unacceptable error", they added, however, no concerns were raised about her professional conduct and the panel agreed she could return to unrestricted practice in the future.

"A suspension order for 12 months would give her sufficient time and opportunity to decide whether this is something that she wished to attempt," they said.

A spokesperson for the hospital trust said she was no longer an employee.

"The trust has followed its internal HR processes in this matter and has noted and respects the decision of the Nursing and Midwifery Council.

"They are no longer employed by MPFT."

This news was gathered by the Local Democracy Reporting Service which covers councils and other public service organisations.

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