This post was originally published on this site
A Coventry nurse accused of pinching powerful painkillers from the hospital where she worked is facing a disciplinary hearing.
Katie Jayne Fullerton was dismissed by the University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust after the finger of suspicion was pointed in her direction.
Hospital bosses had noticed codeine phosphate tablets going missing and set up a sting operation to catch the culprit.
And the trust said that about 59 of the tablets disappeared from a drawer to which Nurse Fullerton had access over the Christmas period in 2014.
She is also accused of “giving misleading information” during the investigation into the disappearance of the drugs.
She was reported to nursing regulatory body, the Nursing and Midwifery Council, and tight conditions were placed on her practice in June 2014.
Ms Fullerton worked for University Hospital Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust
Those conditions were due to expire on September 24, but now a High Court judge has extended them for another four months.
That should give enough time for her case to be dealt with by the NMC’s Conduct and Competence Committee.
Nothing has been proved against Nurse Fullerton, but Mr Justice Silber said the allegations were “serious”.
“I’m quite satisfied that it is appropriate to extend the order, which is in the public interest”, he said.
The conditions, amongst other things, forbid her from accessing or administering any medication unless directly supervised by a registered nurse.
The hearing of Nurse Fullerton’s case by the NMC currently stands adjourned but is due to resume on October 31.