Ebola nurse Pauline Cafferkey free to practise during NMC investigation

Scottish nurse Pauline Cafferkey, who recovered from the Ebola virus, will be free to practise while the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) investigates her over her screening at Heathrow Airport.

Pauline Cafferkey. © Scotsman Publications

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, appeared for a preliminary hearing at the regulator’s offices in Edinburgh on Friday.

A panel of the investigating committee decided not to impose an interim order restricting her practice.

The panel could have placed conditions on her practice or suspended her while the investigation is completed.

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.

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