Blackwood employee sacked after lying about being struck off nursing register

Blackwood Housing and Care newBlackwood has sacked a man from a Dundee care home after he was found to be lying about being struck off the nursing register.

The Evening Telegraph reports that Derek Gordon was given a one-year conditions of practice order in June 2016 for a series of faults while working as a nurse at Lochleven Care Home in Panmurefield in October 2014.

The errors included wrongly dispensing the sleeping pill zopiclone to a resident and failing to record an eye complaint made by another.

Gordon was then struck off by the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) on June 30 after breaching the previous order by applying for two nursing jobs, but failing to mention the order to his prospective new employers.

Gordon was employed as a care worker for Blackwood Care from February, based at Jack Martin Way in Dundee.

He was then suspended on July 3.

Blackwood said at the time of his suspension that the firm had taken action as soon as it was made aware of his registered status.

A spokeswoman for the firm told the Evening Telegraph: “Blackwood can confirm that all appropriate procedures were followed as soon as we were made aware of the situation, resulting in the termination of the individual’s contract.

“The failure to disclose information as instructed by the Nursing and Midwifery Council is a very serious matter and could have compromised the integrity of Blackwood and the wider care community. We are satisfied that our policies were adhered to and confirm that we will always take strong action in any similar situation.”

At the earlier NMC hearing, the panel found Gordon’s “flagrant disregard” for the order meant the risk to patient safety had increased.

Its report stated: “Given that Mr Gordon has shrunk from his professional responsibilities in not declaring his conditions of practice order, the panel is of the view that the risk to patient safety in this case has increased.

“To breach the order of a professional regulator is a serious matter and the panel is of the view that it is necessary to send the message to the public and fellow professionals that this conduct is unacceptable and must not occur.”

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