July 26, 2017 9.29 am This story is over 80 months old

Nurse struck off for applying cream to elderly woman’s vagina for his own sexual gratification

A nurse who rubbed cream into an elderly patient’s vagina for his own sexual pleasure has been struck off.
Photo: Getty

A nurse who rubbed cream into an elderly patient’s vagina for his own sexual pleasure has been struck off.

Paul Dunn also placed the vulnerable woman’s hand down his trousers after telling her: “I’m sorry to bother you. I just need to turn you.”

The registered nurse at Scunthorpe General Hospital claimed that there was “redness” which was why he applied the cream during the incident in April 2015.

However, this was not recorded and a Nursing and Midwifery Council panel found that this allegation against him was proved.

The panel found that there was no clinical justification for applying cream to the patient’s genitals other than for his sexual gratification.

The woman had a urinary catheter in place and suffered from limited mobility due to a plaster cast being on her lower leg.

She required a minimum of two members of staff to attend to her hygiene needs but Dunn attended to her unaccompanied.

A report of the panel’s findings read: “Patient A was an elderly woman who suffered a number of medical conditions.

“As a patient at the hospital, she had the right to expect and to receive safe and proper care.

“That expectation was dashed by the conduct of Mr Dunn, the registered nurse who had a duty of care of Patient A on the night of April 26/27 2015.

“The panel has found that on that night Mr Dunn, under the guise of administering care, subjected Patient A to uninvited sexual activity.

“He did this for his own sexual gratification.

“As a result of this conduct, Patient A was distressed and in fear that such conduct would be repeated.

“Such conduct was a gross breach of the trust expected of a registered nurse.”