Dishonest nurse struck off after conducting smear tests on more than 400 Yorkshire women unqualified

More than 400 women were given cervical screening tests by an unqualified nurse in West Yorkshire, a misconduct panel has heard.
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The patients had to have their tests redone after it was discovered the nurse had performed the screenings for more than two years without the correct qualification.

Alison Jane Watts had failed to tell her employer - Undercliffe Surgery in Heckmondwike - that she had failed a cervical screening assessment module at the University of York.

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She went on to conduct cervical screenings on 461 women over a two year period between 2015 and 2017 before the Cervical Sample Taker Database (“CSTD”) notified NHS England that the registrant had failed the course in September 2015, but continued to take unsupervised cervical samples.

Alison Jane Watts had failed to tell her employer- Undercliffe Surgery in Heckmondwike -that she had failed acervical screening assessment module at the University of York.Alison Jane Watts had failed to tell her employer- Undercliffe Surgery in Heckmondwike -that she had failed acervical screening assessment module at the University of York.
Alison Jane Watts had failed to tell her employer- Undercliffe Surgery in Heckmondwike -that she had failed acervical screening assessment module at the University of York.

An investigation was launched and identified that 461 women had been involved.

In order to ensure that all the women involved were provided with the opportunity to have a quality assured sample taken in adherence with national guidance, the decision was taken to identify all 461 women and invite them for repeat screening, the panel heard.

A Nursing and Midwifery misconduct panel held in January 2021 heard that her actions were 'dishonest'.

The panel said: "You were never awarded the qualification.

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"It was your duty to check if you had been awarded the qualification and you did not.

"You continued to undertake cervical screening procedures."

The actions of Ms Watts 'had the potential to put patients at significant risk of harm' through missed diagnoses and 'associated patient harm', the panel heard.

It was also found that Ms Watts had failed to complete a personal audit of samples taken over the period of time and had submitted false references to the Investigating Committee of the Nursing and Midwifery Council during the course of the investigation.

Ms Watts 'brought the reputation of the nursing profession into disrepute by acting in a dishonest way on a number of separate occasions'.

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The panel heard Ms Watts had not worked as a nurse since the deception was uncovered by the investigation.

She fully admitted the charges prior to the hearing and was not in attendance.

Aggravating features of her misconduct included the high number of patients involved, the prolonged period of time in which the failings occurred and the potential for serious harm to patients.

In mitigation, Ms Watts told the panel through written submissions she had not worked as a nurse since her dismissal and she wishes to leave the profession.

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She said she was willing to engage with the NMC to conclude the panel but she will not attend any hearing, as 'she feels this would be too detrimental to her own wellbeing'.

Ms Watts 'has not demonstrated remediation for her clinical failings, nor has she shown any significant remorse and/or detailed reflection regarding her misconduct', the panel concluded.

The panel said: "In the context of the lack of insight and remediation and the impact the Registrant’s failings had upon 461 patients, the Parties agree that a suspension order is neither sufficient nor appropriate in this case."

Ms Watts was struck off from the profession by the panel.

The striking off order was necessary 'not only to protect the public but to mark the importance of maintaining public confidence in the profession', the panel said.

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In conclusion of their findings, the panel said: "Ms Watts’ actions were significant departures from the standards expected of a registered nurse.

"She carried out cervical screening procedures on 461 patients in the knowledge that she had failed the assessment which would have qualified her to do so.

"In the context of these proceedings before her regulatory body, she dishonestly submitted false references to the NMC.

"The panel was in no doubt that these actions are fundamentally incompatible with her remaining on the register.

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"The panel was of the view that to allow her to continue practising would put patients at risk of harm and undermine public confidence in the profession and in the NMC as a regulatory body."

NHS North Kirklees CCG declined to comment on the outcome of the panel.

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