Nurse can continue to work in current role - hearing

Deborah Povall was the manager at Powys Ward at the Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic Hospital

A nurse who said she had to stop herself from "gouging a former colleague's eyeballs out and shoving them down her throat" has been allowed to continue working in her current role.

Deborah Povall was the manager of Powys ward at the Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt (RJAH) Orthopaedic Hospital in Gobowen, Shropshire, at the time she sent the text message to another colleague in 2018.

She is currently facing a Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) hearing into allegations over how she treated staff and the care received by patients at the hospital.

The NMC has now closed its case, with Ms Povall due to give evidence when it resumes in December.

Ms Povall, who was suspended after an investigation was launched in 2019, has admitted working excessive hours but denied all of the other allegations relating to incidents between 2017 and 2019.

The hearing heard on Thursday that since leaving the hospital, Ms Povall has been working for a company that provides healthcare assessments for the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP).

The panel decided not to impose an interim order, meaning she can continue working in her current role.

Ms Povall told the hearing she only works her current hours in her role and does not use social media or text.

"My current role requires me to be a registered nurse; therefore, any interim order potentially may mean that I cannot do that depending on what that was," she explained.

"My role involves me talking to individuals that are not acutely unwell. However, they have healthcare conditions, and my job is to ascertain them and the impact on their day-to-day function."

Alastair Kennedy, case presenter for the NMC, confirmed Ms Povall has been free to work since the investigation began.

"Two charges have been proved by way of admission: working excessive hours and sending an unfortunate text message," he said.

"Neither of these issues raises public protection concerns to the extent that an interim order will be required. There is unlikely to be a repetition of working excessive hours or the text issue."

Witness Kirsty Foskett said she had a good working relationship with Ms Povall but did speak to her about working too many hours, as she "felt a need to cover vacant shifts".

Mrs Foskett, who was the NMC's final witness, was the surgical matron of the five wards at the hospital at the time.

The hearing heard Ms Povall would have the first level of approval for rotas, followed by herself.

"I had been a previous ward manager, and you are responsible for the quality and safety on your ward," Mrs Foskett said.

She told the hearing that a member of staff who was leaving raised concerns about Ms Povall's behaviour in November 2017, but she was "quite open" and "reflective" to the feedback.

The hearing is due to continue on 15 December.

This news was gathered by the Local Democracy Reporting Service, which covers councils and other public service organisations.