Nurse struck off after intimidating patient over inappropriate relationship

A Lincolnshire nurse has been struck off after forming an inappropriate relationship with a patient, and then intimidating them to keep it quiet.

Amanda Taylor-Bradley, a community psychiatric nurse with the Gainsborough mental health team, was found unfit to practice.

She disclosed private information about her colleagues and other patients, and went to kickboxing classes together.

She warned the patient to stay quiet about their relationship – threatening to “use your mental health against you” if anyone found out.

The Nursing and Midwifery Council heard that she abused her position with an extremely vulnerable service user, causing damage to their health.

Mrs Taylor-Bradley began working with the service user, who had borderline personality disorder and an eating disorder, in September 2018.

They soon began speaking most days, often meeting at their homes, going shopping and getting coffee together.

They also took up kickboxing classes twice a week, and went to a netball group together once.

Mrs Taylor-Bradley was aware she had crossed professional boundaries, telling the user: “If anyone found out we were friends, I would be in trouble”.

On another occasion, she was found to have intimidated them into saying silent.

She also passed on confidential information about at least five colleagues and another patient.

The patient also received help at White Gables Crisis House

In October 2019, the service user revealed information to staff at the White Gables Crisis House which raised alarm about the relationship.

The following month, the nurse was told not to contact the service user again. Within minutes, she had tried ringing and Facebook messaging the user.

Disciplinary action was launched by the Trust, but Mrs Taylor-Bradley resigned before this could take place.

She didn’t attend the NMC hearing into her misconduct on June 29.

All allegations were found to be proven except for a text message the nurse had allegedly sent, which hadn’t been shown to the panel.

The NMC said that Mrs Taylor-Bradley hadn’t shown any insight into her misconduct, and there was the risk that she would repeat it if allowed to continue practising.

The hearing report says: “Mrs Taylor-Bradley had abused her position as a CPN over a significant period of time and had caused substantial harm to the well-being of an extremely vulnerable service user.

“The panel determined that Mrs Taylor-Bradley’s actions were extremely serious, and to allow her to continue practising would undermine public confidence in the profession and in the NMC as a regulatory body.”

A striking-off order has been issued.

A spokesperson for the Lincolnshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust said: “The safety and wellbeing of our patients is our absolute priority at all times, and we expect all of our staff to uphold the highest professional standards of care.

“On concerns being raised, we immediately took appropriate action in line with our trust policies and procedures, whilst also ensuring we provided support where required – including to those who raised the concerns.

“We made a referral to the Nursing & Midwifery Council with our concerns and have fully co-operated with the investigation process.”