Nurse struck off after drugs suspension

Denish Devasia failed to attend a review hearing after previously admitting taking drugs at Addison Court

A nurse who was suspended after taking drugs at a care home has been permanently struck off after failing to attend a hearing into his case.

Denish Devasia had admitted he "appropriated and self-administered" Oxycodone and Midazolam while working a nightshift at Addison Court, Gateshead, in 2022.

He was suspended from the nursing register following a Nursing and Midwifery Council hearing last year which found his fitness to practise was impaired.

His case was reviewed as the suspension was due to expire, but the review panel was told he had not engaged with a disciplinary process and had failed to respond to communications.

His initial hearing in August 2024 found he had put patients at risk of harm by leaving the drug cabinet open and being under the influence of controlled drugs while on duty.

However, it was a case where there was a "single instance of misconduct", with no evidence of repetition, and he admitted at an early stage that he had made a mistake.

In light of this, the remorse demonstrated and no evidence of a "deep-seated attitudinal issue", the panel "was of the view that the misconduct was not fundamentally incompatible with Mr Devasia remaining on the register".

'Protect the public'

The suspension was to last a year and a review hearing took place in August at which the panel heard that Mr Devasia had not engaged with the disciplinary process or taken steps to ensure his fitness to practise was no longer impaired.

He did not respond to communications, seek an adjournment or send a representative or statement to the hearing.

It its ruling, the panel stated "it was necessary to take action to prevent Mr Devasia from practising in the future", adding "the only sanction that would adequately protect the public and serve the public interest is a striking-off order".

Addison Court was put into special measures after inspection in November 2023 by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) concluded it was "not safe" for residents and "people were not always safeguarded from abuse and avoidable harm".

In December that year a BBC Panorama investigation appeared to show low staffing levels which health professionals said put vulnerable residents at risk.

Prestwick Care, which runs the facility, had denied any suggestion of systematic wrongdoing or bad practice, calling the accusations unfair and inaccurate.

Following inspections earlier this year, it was rated "good" by the CQC and removed from special measures.