Ebola nurse Pauline Cafferkey attends NMC hearing

Scottish nurse Pauline Cafferkey, who recovered from the Ebola virus, has appeared before the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) over her screening at Heathrow Airport.

The nurse, who was diagnosed with Ebola after returning from treating patients in Sierra Leone and who, along with other volunteers, was praised by the prime minister, is being investigated by the regulator.

A preliminary hearing was held today at the NMC’s offices in Edinburgh to determine whether Ms Cafferkey can continue to practise during the investigation. There are three options for the hearing panel – to allow Ms Cafferkey to continue to practise without restrictions, to place conditions on her practice or to suspend her.

A decision has not yet been reached by the panel.

The investigation was launched after Public Health England passed information to the NMC about the screening of some returning healthcare workers at Heathrow on December 28.

Ms Cafferkey was cleared to travel from Heathrow to Glasgow despite her own concerns that she might have a fever, but was later admitted to hospital in Glasgow. She made a complete recovery after being treated at the Royal Free Hospital in London.

Today’s hearing was held in private at the request of Ms Cafferkey’s representative.