An NHS nurse who was caught stealing two headache pills from a hospital pharmacy has been suspended from her profession after being told she posed an “ongoing risk to the public”.
Franchesca Morgan lost her job at Arrowe Park Hospital, near Liverpool, after taking paracetamol and co-codamol without permission when she felt unwell during her shift.
Now, a year and a half later, she has been suspended from the entire profession for the next six months.
Miss Morgan was caught after undercover surveillance, set up by the police, recorded her taking the pills on two separate occasions in June 2022, without first obtaining written permission.
Police launched an investigation after hospital bosses noticed prescription medication had gone missing. A tablet count was set up at the end of each shift and the police set up a secret camera.
NHS nurse Franchesca Morgan, 32, lost her job after she was caught stealing two pills from a hospital pharmacy to treat her headaches while at work.
Now, a year and a half later, she has been suspended from the entire profession for the next six months.
And although it was not suggested that Miss Morgan was responsible for the wider drug theft, she was prosecuted for taking co-codamol and paracetamol.
He pleaded guilty in December 2022 to two counts of theft by an employee and told Wirral Magistrates’ Court he assumed he would be allowed to take the medication after feeling unwell during shifts.
He also told the court that he had lost his job and his home as a result of the prosecution and had since moved in with his grandmother.
The Nursing and Midwifery Council suspended the nurse for the next six months and after a disciplinary panel found she had not shown sufficient knowledge of why her actions were wrong.
In a reflective statement given as part of the disciplinary process, Miss Morgan said: ‘I realize that it is not acceptable to take medication that belongs to the ward as this could be considered theft. I have spent many hours reflecting on the situation I found myself in.’
But the NMC was not convinced, describing its vision as “quite limited”.
They said: ‘The panel was not satisfied that Miss Morgan demonstrated a full or developed understanding of the issues raised by the proven allegations.
“We consider there is an ongoing risk to the public due to the registrant’s lack of complete information and lack of confirmation of how this would prevent this from happening again.”
Morgan took a co-codamol pill and, on another occasion, a paracetamol pill after feeling unwell while working at Arrowe Park Hospital, near Liverpool, in June 2021.
Police began investigating the thefts after health officials noticed prescription medications had gone missing between June 6 and 18 last year at Arrowe Park Hospital.
The Woolton nurse, born in the same town as John Lennon’s childhood home, told the disciplinary panel that she had also once taken the laxative lactulose while on duty.
He initially lied during an internal investigation and said he had never taken the drug while on duty, before accepting he had after being presented with CCTV footage.
As a result of losing her job at Arrowe Park Hospital, Miss Morgan moved in with her grandmother and, although the NMC “noted the difficulties” of suspending her medical licence, they said the public would lose confidence if they did not take decisive action against she. .
Miss Morgan gave written evidence to the NMC in which she said she “assumed consent” to take the medication because she was unwell and alleged staff taking paracetamol was “common” within the ward.
In deciding to suspend her license for a period of six months, the panel, chaired by Konrad Chrzanowski, said: “The panel took note of the difficulties that such an order will inevitably cause for Miss Morgan.”
As a result, having lost her job at Arrowe Park Hospital, Miss Morgan moved in with her grandmother.
‘However, in this case this is outweighed by the public interest. The panel considered that this order is necessary to signal the importance of maintaining public confidence in the profession and to send a clear message to the public and the profession about the standard of behavior required of a registered nurse.
“The panel determined that a suspension order for a period of six months was appropriate in this case to highlight the seriousness of the misconduct.”
Miss Morgan was given a 12-month conditional discharge at her criminal sentencing hearing in December 2022. She was also ordered to pay £144 in costs and surcharges to the victim.
At that hearing, prosecutor Yvonne Dobson said: The defendant was also seen to be taking medication for no legitimate reason. He was stealing the medication for herself. The first time she took co-codamol. The second time she took paracetamol.
‘Miss Dobson said she was seen swallowing pills with a drink. She believed that she had implied that she had given her consent to take the medication. Previous convictions were missing but now she has lost her good character.’