Essex mental health nurse struck off for personal relationship with patient

A north Essex mental health nurse has been struck off after admitting entering into a personal relationship with a patient.

Community psychiatric nurse Richard Hurworth confessed to visiting High Woods Country Park, a restaurant and a comedy club with a female patient throughout 2012 at a Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) hearing last year.

Now Mr Hurworth, who worked at the North Essex Partnership University Foundation Trust, has been struck off by a new NMC panel over fears he could re-offend.

A 12-month suspension order was imposed on him last year after his actions – which included him contacting her when instructed not to – were found to have caused the woman in question distress and anxiety.

The previous NMC panel ruled such actions may have affected the patient’s recovery and placed her at possible risk of harm.

But at the recent hearing his order was reviewed – and Mr Hurworth has now been given a striking off order to commence later this month.

At the hearing, his misconduct was found to have involved an abuse of trust to a “vulnerable” service user. And despite him being given an opportunity by the previous panel to provide evidence of steps taken to remedy his “serious misconduct”, he failed to do so.

Mr Hurworth was also asked by the previous panel to write a reflective account setting out what he had learned from the incident – but did not provide one.

His striking off order was therefore imposed to reduce the risk of repetition, preventing him from “placing patients at risk of harm” and “bringing the profession into disrepute”.

The nurse appeared to believe his interactions with the service user were beneficial in treating her, the panel noted in a resulting report.

They found he “lacked insight” – and had an “inability to recognise and maintain appropriate professional boundaries”.

His striking-off order comes into effect on November 17.

The nurse appeared to believe his interactions with the service user were beneficial in treating her, the panel noted in a resulting report.

They found he “lacked insight” – and had an “inability to recognise and maintain appropriate professional boundaries”.

His striking-off order comes into effect on November 17.

The nurse appeared to believe his interactions with the service user were beneficial in treating her, the panel noted in a resulting report.

They found he “lacked insight” – and had an “inability to recognise and maintain appropriate professional boundaries”.

His striking-off order comes into effect on November 17.

 

http://www.eadt.co.uk/news/essex-mental-health-nurse-struck-off-for-personal-relationship-with-patient-1-4760751