Hospital review over bogus nurse

An NHS trust where a bogus nurse treated hundreds of patients said "robust measures" were now in place to ensure staff checks were carried out.

Christina Barrett, 53, worked at Northampton General Hospital despite not being fully trained.

She pleaded guilty at Northampton Crown Court to obtaining services by deception, obtaining a pecuniary advantage by deception and fraud.

She was given a nine-month prison sentence, suspended for two years.

Barrett was also ordered to pay £620 costs and complete 100 hours community service.

During the case, it was revealed Barrett contacted the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) and managed to get a genuine nurse's identification number to return to work in 2003.

Independent review

Despite not being fully trained, she then got a job as a staff nurse on a surgical ward at Northampton General Hospital.

Northampton General Hospital NHS Trust said it had always undertaken thorough checks to ensure clinical staff were properly qualified and registered with the appropriate professional bodies.

Interim chief executive Helen O'Shea said reviews by an independent assessor had been carried out into recruitment processes.

She said: "We have robust measures in place to ensure that all the necessary checks on the professional qualifications of our clinical staff are carried out.

"The case note and incident review undertaken has not identified any evidence of potential harm having been caused to patients by this individual."

The Trust said it could not comment on registration procedures for the NMC which is responsible for the professional registration of nurses.

Barrett was given a genuine nurses' number after documentation confirming a registered nurse with a similar name was provided to the NMC.

The NMC spokesman added: "It is the responsibility of employers and managers to check whether their employees are registered with the NMC."