Nursing associate who 'groomed' patient struck off

The panel found Mr Mclean showed "a pattern of seeking to conceal his inappropriate conduct"

A nursing associate who "groomed" a vulnerable patient when he was supposed to help their recovery has been struck off.

Peter Mclean, who worked in Slough, Berkshire, was found to have told the young person he loved them by text message.

The Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) found Mr Mclean “exploited a very vulnerable young person and [their] family” during 2022.

A report found Mr Mclean had been warned by his line manager about inappropriate behaviour with the patient but it continued, indicating a “harmful, deep-seated attitudinal problem”.

As a nursing associate – which bridges the gap between health and care assistants and nurses – Mclean’s role was to “develop a therapeutic relationship” to assist the patient’s recovery.

But his manager found WhatsApp messages from Mr Mclean to them, which included “love you x” and “marry me!?”.

The NMC’s panel said the “intimate” language shared with the young person, who found it difficult to form relationships and understand people’s intentions, “could be perceived to be sexual in nature”.

It found he asked the patient to delete messages after he was suspended from his job and that doing so was indicative of “a pattern of seeking to conceal his inappropriate conduct”.

It said Mr Mclean letting the young person drink alcohol on one occasion and being pictured with them on another was “attempting to gain favour... in order to groom them”.

The young person’s mother said she saw Mr Mclean and the patient tickling and hugging each other.

But the panel was told they were left “distressed” after the “confusing and unsettling” episode concluded.

Mr Mclean did not attend the NMC’s hearing, which finished on 1 August, but told it he had not intended to continue nursing.

The regulator said a reflective statement submitted by him in 2022 “appeared detached from the concerns identified” and “did not demonstrate an understanding of how his actions harmed [the patient]”.