Nurse who sold ill mum's home in Glenfield struck off
- Published
Joanne Chiswell admitted defrauding her 68-year-old mother out of about £90,000 over three years
A psychiatric nurse who sold her mentally ill mum's home without her consent and splashed out on "luxury items" has been struck off.
Joanne Chiswell, 42, from Leicester, sold her mother's home in Glenfield, Leicestershire, and all her possessions while the 68-year-old was in care.
The Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) said Chiswell "abused her position to defraud her mother of about £90,000".
Chiswell had pleaded guilty to fraud at Leicester Crown Court in June 2019.
Chiswell, was granted power of attorney to safeguard her mother's assets, the Local Democracy Reporting Service reported.
But instead she sold her mother's home and splashed out on restaurant meals and shopping - dishonestly treating the bank account as her own - between May 2012 and March 2015, the court heard.
Chiswell, who was reported to police by her brother, blamed her behaviour on an abusive former partner, who she claimed put her "under pressure".
She was sentenced to 18 months in prison suspended for two years.
Chiswell, who was bankrupt, was ordered to pay just £1 but the judge told her the "shame" would be the greatest punishment.
'Inherently dishonest'
In a recent report, external, the NMC said Chiswell's fitness to practice nursing was "impaired" as a result of her conviction.
The panel said she had reaped "personal financial gain from a position of trust through long-standing deception".
"Honesty and integrity are fundamental tenets of the profession," it said. "Miss Chiswell's actions in defrauding her mother breached those fundamental tenets and was inherently dishonest.
"Miss Chiswell's actions were significant departures from the standards expected of a registered nurse, and are fundamentally incompatible with her remaining on the register."
However, the panel was satisfied there was "no direct harm risk of harm to patients in her care".
Chiswell, who referred herself to the NMC, has 28 days to appeal against the decision.
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