Nurse career blighted by hearing delay

A NURSE with 30 years’ experience has had her career blighted by delays to a disciplinary hearing into allegations made four and a half years ago, London’s High Court heard.

Alina Harris, of Marsden Close, Ashton, is accused of failing to meet record-keeping standards when she worked for Oldham Primary Care Trust in 2007.

She denies the claims, but has found it nearly impossible to get work since after stringent working conditions were placed on her pending a full hearing by the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC), the court heard.

Senior judge Mr Justice Lindblom, extended those conditions for a further nine months, but warned the NMC that any further delays to nurse Harris’ case would be unacceptable.

Harris was accused of failing to maintain adequate records for a patient being treated for an ulcer on his leg in June, 2007. A similar claim was made against her in September that year.

As a result she must be supervised in any work in advance of a full NMC hearing.

She told a panel reviewing those conditions last year that the restrictions had made it very difficult to for her to find work, despite applications to a nursing home, a hospice and cancer charity Macmillan.

The huge number of cases before the NMC means nurse Harris’ battle to clear her name will continue until at least the end of this summer..

Mr Justice Lindblom extended the order for nine months, but warned the NMC that its investigations could not drag on for ever.

He said: “Although there is a backlog of cases facing the council it is important that cases such as these, which have a long history, are brought swiftly to finality without undue delay.”