Posted 07 July 2022 - 10:00
Posted 07 July 2022 - 10:00
News
Nurse struck off after sending naked pictures to junior colleagues
Nurse’s behaviour in sending explicit messages and pictures to colleagues including junior nurses fell far below the standards expected of him, regulator says
Nurse’s behaviour in sending explicit messages and pictures to colleagues including junior nurses fell far below the standards expected of him, regulator says
A nurse has been struck off by the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) after sending naked photos of himself to colleagues.
Timothy Stone, who worked as an adult nurse at the Cardiff & Vale University Local Health Board, sent unwanted sexually explicit messages to four colleagues, including pictures of his genitals to two junior nurses and a healthcare worker.
An NMC Fitness to Practise hearing was told that between August 2015 and September 2018 Mr Stone sent ‘sexually motivated’ messages to four junior colleagues on social media, referring to oral sex and being ‘horny.’
One of those who received a message told the panel in a statement: ‘I do not recall what (Mr Stone’s) Snapchat username was. I responded asking, “Who is this?” and he replied something like, “It’s Tim, I found you really attractive at work.”
‘Initially I just brushed it off, however as time went on the messages became more explicit and he would send me pictures of him in his boxers then it escalated to full frontal nudity.’
Nurse says sorry and wants to return to his ‘vocation’ but panel calls his actions a ‘deplorable abuse of trust’
Mr Stone admitted sending the inappropriate messages and photographs and his legal representative said he understood the impact of his actions and was sorry for his behaviour.
In a letter dated 1 May Mr Stone’s lawyer said he ‘has wishes and hopes… he would be able to return to nursing as he feels this is his vocation and calling in life. He would like to stress that at no point were patients ever exposed to any harm.’
But the panel found that Mr Stone’s actions fell far below the standards expected of him as a nurse.
One of the recipients of the messages said his behaviour made them not want to go to work and told the panel: ‘I was a little bit uncomfortable because in the messages he had said he had been looking at my private area whilst at work.’
The panel found that Mr Stone’s actions were a deplorable abuse of trust. It said: ‘Mr Stone’s actions in the charges found proved demonstrated an abuse of trust as he was in a senior position and his actions involved sending messages and photographs that were of a sexual nature to junior colleagues, some of whom were new in post.
‘The panel determined that Mr Stone’s actions were deplorable.’
A spokesperson for Cardiff and Vale University Health Board said: ‘The safety and protection of our staff is a main priority.’
They added that after being made aware of allegations about the behaviour of Mr Stone the trust held a disciplinary hearing in August 2019 and he was later dismissed from the trust and referred to the NMC.
Mr Stone has 28 days to appeal the NMC decision.
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