Former Stafford Hospital chief nurse struck off after exposing patients to danger
A former chief nurse at scandal-hit Stafford Hospital has consented to being struck off for exposing patients to danger during her time at the hospital.
Janice Harry agreed to the move after the Professional Standards Authority (PSA) for Health and Social Care launched a challenge to a tribunal's decision only to issue her with a caution.
Mrs Harry was given the five-year caution by the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) in November after being found guilty of misconduct.
The PSA was due to appeal to the High Court in London tomorrow and argue the NMC decision was 'unduly leniency' as Ms Harry had endangered patients and showed no insight into her failings.
But today the PSA announced the NMC now agreed the decision was unduly lenient, and this week Mrs Harry had agreed to be removed from the NMC's register.
Harry Cayton, chief executive of the PSA, said: 'This is the right outcome. Senior clinicians should be held to account when there are serious failings in patient care for which they are responsible.
"The authority will continue to appeal the regulators' fitness to practise decisions when it considers they are unduly lenient."
Jackie Smith, chief executive and registrar of the NMC,added: "We had previously raised concerns about the sanction imposed by an independent panel in November 2013 and took immediate steps to refer it to the PSA for review.
"The case raised important issues about the responsibility of nurses who hold senior management positions and their duty to ensure the protection of the public."
Mrs Harry was found to have put patients at risk after failing to ensure there were enough nurses on wards at Stafford Hospital between 1998 and 2006. She retired from nursing in 2009.
Between 1998 and 2006, Mrs Harry failed to ensure there were adequate numbers of nurses working in the accident and emergency department, the emergency admission unit and another ward.
She also failed to ensure there was appropriate food and drink in the unit, the panel concluded.
And it was claimed she adopted an aggressive management style, which created an unpleasant atmosphere for staff.
Harry denied all the charges against her.
