A NURSE who put disabled patients at risk by failing to turn up for work because she had been drinking has been struck off. Janice Forbes missed two shifts at Aysgarth House, an inpatient hospital for people with learning disabilities based in Townend Court, Cottingham Road, Hull.
The Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) heard she left her colleagues in a difficult situation because there were no other nurses on duty.
The panel heard Ms Forbes then refused to co-operate with an investigation by Humber Foundation Trust and ignored three letters sent by the NMC.
Forbes failed to attend work because she had been drinking on September 12 and December 23, 2010.
She was also convicted of drink- driving on December 30 last year and banned from holding a licence for three years.
Ms Forbes was dismissed from her post on May 24, 2011, because of her poor attendance.
Panel chairman Linda Stone said: "The panel considered that, by not attending for her rostered shifts, Ms Forbes had put patients at unwarranted risk of harm.
"Her actions also had an impact on her colleagues, who were placed in a difficult position as there was no other registered nurse available for the shifts in question.
"Further, Ms Forbes had failed to co-operate with the Nursing and Midwifery Council's investigation into her fitness to practise in that she did not respond to the letters sent to her."
Members of the panel said they had no doubt her actions would bring the profession into disrepute.
As aggravating factors, the panel also considered the seriousness of Ms Forbes's misconduct and recent criminal conviction.
Ms Forbes sent a mitigating letter to the NMC earlier this year.
Ms Stone said: "The panel considered that Ms Forbes's letter did appear to demonstrate that she had developed some limited insight into her failings.
"This was sent after a long period of disengagement with the NMC proceedings.
"The panel found this letter insufficient to enable it to conclude that Ms Forbes was not liable to repeat such misconduct.
"In particular, it considered that her misconduct had taken place over a considerable period of time and that there had been a very lengthy period of non-engagement."
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