Covid nurse gave jabs to ineligible friends of colleagues

The misconduct report found Ms Morris' behaviour fell "far short" of "what is expected of a registered nurse"

A nurse has been struck off after giving Covid-19 vaccinations to friends and family of colleagues, even though they were not eligible at the time.

Diana Morris was a nurse at Dockham Surgery in Cinderford, Gloucestershire, during the pandemic.

A disciplinary found the experienced nurse failed to check the patients' medical records and did not inform the surgery of what was happening.

She was issued a striking-off order and interim suspension order for 18 months.

Ms Morris had told the recipients the doses were left over and would be thrown away if not used.

At the time, only those who were over 70 and front line workers were eligible for Covid-19 vaccinations, but Ms Morris administered jabs, and assisted a colleague to administer them, to people who were not eligible.

The Nursing and Midwifery Council heard the nurse also failed to keep records of the vaccinations and did not properly check patients' medical records before vaccinating them, putting them at risk.

Ms Morris, who was based at Dockham Surgery in Cinderford Medical Centre, said she did not falsify documents

On 11 February 2021 Ms Morris assisted a healthcare assistant in administering jabs to 11 ineligible patients after normal practice hours at her colleague's house.

Ms Morris was not present while they were administered.

In one example, the misconduct investigation found Ms Morris contacted an employee of the surgery to ask if her husband and son would like to receive the vaccine.

Her colleague queried whether this would be ok, but during the investigation Ms Morris said that she thought they were allowed to do this with leftover doses.

However, it was found she sent a list of patients she had vaccinated that day, omitting the 11 patients who were ineligible.

'Risk of harm'

She also vaccinated her husband who was not registered with the surgery and gave another patient a second vaccine just a few weeks after his first, despite guidance that the two doses should be administered 12 weeks apart.

The report, released earlier this month, states: "By administering Covid-19 vaccines without preliminary checks of patients' medical records, carrying out patients' risk assessments and failing to record administration of Covid-19 vaccine and to report the vaccinations to patients' registered practices, Ms Morris put 17 patients at the risk of harm."

The investigation also found one patient who received an Oxford AstraZenaca vaccine from Ms Morris was high risk for this type of vaccine.

Had this patient been vaccinated "when their cohort was eligible", this information would have been available, and they would not have been exposed to the risk of receiving a vaccine "which was potentially dangerous for them", said the report.

Due to Ms Morris' "poor record keeping", a number of patients were also unable to obtain "Covid Passports" as they could not prove they had received the required amount of vaccines.

'Mentally draining'

In an email to the NMC in January 2022, Ms Morris said: "I worked so hard throughout the pandemic, going to do home visits and see patients within the surgery too, there was no let up and little support - it was mentally draining.

"I have an impeccable record prior to this and have always prided myself on being an excellent nurse with a very caring and compassionate nature, and would certainly never knowingly put any patent at risk."

Ms Morris said was struggling mentally as she felt "ruined" and that she had "lost everything", including her home, job and reputation.

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