A NURSE has been struck off the register and banned from practicing after being caught stealing painkillers.

Lesley Steadman, a registered nurse since 1976, helped herself to codeine tablets as it was cheaper than getting a prescription.

Since being caught, she has indicated on numerous occasions that she no longer wishes to practise as a registered nurse.

However, this did not stop the Nursing and Midwifery Council Fitness to Practise Committee from issuing a striking-off order in her case.

The hearing last month heard how, on September 3, 2021, in Widnes, she dishonestly appropriated codeine medication belonging to Oak Meadow Community Support.

The following day, the Nursing and Midwifery Council received a referral from Halton Borough Council’s safeguarding team about Steadman.

While working as an agency registered nurse at Oakmeadow Community Care Home, she was seen in the medication room by another member of staff holding a carrier bag full of medications.

The codeine tablets were in the returns box that had belonged to a former resident, and when Steadman’s bags were examined, she had numerous bottles with labels removed.

The care home contacted the safeguarding team, as well as the police. Steadman was subsequently arrested on suspicion of theft by employee.

Her home address was searched by police and several boxes of medications were found, many with the labels removed, suggesting they were not prescribed to her.

While being interviewed by police, Steadman admitted to attempting to steal the medication from the home, and further admitted to stealing medications from returns cupboards from various care homes over a four-year period. She accepted a conditional caution.

The panel next went on to decide if, as a result of the caution, Steadman’s fitness to practise is impaired.

A hearing report states: “Nurses occupy a position of privilege and trust in society and are expected at all times to be professional and to maintain professional boundaries.

“Patients and their families must be able to trust nurses with their lives and the lives of their loved ones. To justify that trust, nurses must be honest and open and 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.”

The panel determined that there is a potential risk of future harm to patients based on Steadman’s conduct, and that there is a risk of harm to patients if she were to be allowed to return to work as a registered nurse, as she has indicated that she may be tempted to steal medication again.

“This behaviour could potentially prevent patients from receiving their medication and lead to them being caused unwarranted harm,” the report states.

“The panel considered Steadman’s conduct had breached the fundamental tenets of the nursing profession and therefore brought its reputation into disrepute.

“It was satisfied that confidence in the nursing profession would be undermined if the regulator did not find any charge relating to dishonesty to be an extremely serious matter.”

The panel determined that a finding of impairment on wider public interest grounds was also required as her actions were ‘dishonest and fell significantly short of what is expected of a registered nurse’.

It noted: “Steadman indicated that she took the medication as it was cheaper than getting a proper prescription. These actions are indicative of a deep-seated attitudinal problem.”

As a result, members decided to make a striking-off order, directing the registrar to strike Steadman off the nursing register.