Hospital worker who injected her own hands to relieve pain condition struck off

Sara-Louise Randall kept syringes and needles in a pencil case whilst working at Walsall Manor Hospital, a misconduct hearing heard.

In 2012, the podiatrist was diagnosed with a chronic health condition which caused her severe pain.

Walsall Healthcare NHS Trust, where she worked for more than a decade since 2003, was aware of her health issues and had been offering her support.

But they launched an investigation when the syringes and needles were discovered.

When quizzed, Ms Randall admitted to using them on herself on numerous occasions when other painkillers failed to work.

She argued that she did not think she was doing anything wrong, because the anaesthetic she injected herself with was due to be disposed by the hospital.

Ms Randall, who no longer works there, was due for a misconduct hearing with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) to determine if any other sanction should be imposed.

But, prior to the hearing, she declared she would not be attending and applied to remove her self from the register of podiatrists by signing a Voluntary Removal Agreement (VRA) – the document effectively means she has agreed to be stricken off.

The HCPC accepted Ms Randall's VRA and took no further action.

A case report stated: "The Registrant (Ms Randall) was a Podiatrist, employed by the Walsall Healthcare Trust at the material time. The allegation relates to a period in 2015 and concerns the self-administration of a Trust local anaesthetic into her hand.

"The registrant was observed to have a syringe and needles in her pencil case while at work. On being questioned, she said that she used them on herself."

The trust has previously confirmed Ms Randall no longer works at the hospital.