Northampton nurse who skipped appointments and covered-up failings struck off

Stephanie Patricia Chesterman was struck off the nursing register and given an 18-month interim suspension order for misconduct and repeated dishonesty.

She lied about visiting patients, did not provide proper treatment and care, and falsely documented her appointments to cover for her failings, a Nursing and Midwifery Council panel heard.

A report from her hearing read: "The panel found that Mrs Chesterman had failed to provide appropriate care or provided poor treatment to a number of patients and made records of visits she had not carried out in order to give a misleading impression that she had.

"Accordingly, the panel has determined that Mrs Chesterman’s fitness to practise is currently impaired by reason of her misconduct."

The ruling means Mrs Chesterman is not allowed to work as a nurse or midwife again in the UK.

Mrs Chesterman's misconduct was proven and sanctioned at a hearing by the Nursing and Midwifery Council in London.

They proved that while working for the Northampton Hospitals Foundation NHS Trust between December 2013 and July 2014, she failed on many occasions to give appropriate treatment, document her visits or even attend her appointments.

Twenty-five acts of misconduct were proven or admitted.

On five separate occasions, Mrs Chesterman failed to attend her appointments and covered it up in her paperwork.

But despite the numerous charges of misconduct, Mrs Chesterman did not attend the recent hearing where her sanctions were given.

The panel said: "Mrs Chesterman has not appeared before the panel to demonstrate remorse, a realisation that her conduct was dishonest, nor has she persuaded the panel that there will be no repetition.

"She repeatedly failed to prioritise patient care, provided poor treatment and had shown record-keeping failures over some time and in relation to a number of patients.

"[Mrs Chesterman's] failures along with her dishonest conduct were unacceptable and fell significantly short of the conduct and standards expected of a registered nurse. It determined that her actions, taken individually and cumulatively, were serious enough to amount to misconduct.

The panel ordered that Mrs Chesterman was struck off the nursing register.

They added: "Nurses occupy a position of privilege and trust in society and are expected at all times to be professional in the carrying out of their duties.

"Patients and their families must be able to trust nurses with their care and the care of their loved ones. To justify that trust, nurses must act with integrity. They must make sure that their conduct at all times justifies both their patients’ and the public’s trust in the profession."