Paddington: Nurse struck off over racist comments to colleagues

Kinga Lesniak was found to have said racial slurs at St Mary's Hospital in Paddington, central London

A nurse has been struck off after making racist comments about her colleagues.

Kinga Lesniak admitted using slurs that were racially motivated while working at St Mary's Hospital in Paddington, central London, in August 2021.

The Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) said her misconduct was "deplorable" and posed "significant risk of harm to the public".

The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) said it did not comment on individual cases.

Ms Lesniak's comments on 8 August 2021 were reported to hospital staff and she was immediately suspended. She resigned the following day.

The panel that heard her case earlier this month found her actions fell "seriously short of the conduct and standards expected of a nurse and amounted to misconduct".

In its report, the panel said: "Your misconduct was so deplorable that it could discourage members of the public, especially members of the black community, from seeking/accessing clinical care when required."

'Out of character'

Ms Lesniak's representative, Sharmistha Michaels, who was appointed by the RCN, said she had since apologised to colleagues.

She described the encounter as a "one-off" and "totally out of character", and that it was allegedly triggered by work stress during the pandemic.

Ms Michaels said the nurse had been working in the Covid ward at the time. 

She said Ms Lesniak had since taken training and anger management courses and worked as a registered nurse without problems.

NMC imposed an 18-month interim suspension order to stop Ms Lesniak working as a registered nurse.

She has 28 days to appeal NMC's decision.

The BBC's Local Democracy Reporting Service attempted to contact Ms Lesniak for comment.

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