This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-glasgow-west-37342470
The article has changed 8 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
Version 3 | Version 4 |
---|---|
Ebola nurse Pauline Cafferkey 'not dishonest', hearing told | Ebola nurse Pauline Cafferkey 'not dishonest', hearing told |
(35 minutes later) | |
A Scots nurse who survived Ebola may not face charges of dishonesty at a misconduct hearing, it has emerged. | A Scots nurse who survived Ebola may not face charges of dishonesty at a misconduct hearing, it has emerged. |
Pauline Cafferkey, 40, was infected while working in Sierra Leone in 2014. | Pauline Cafferkey, 40, was infected while working in Sierra Leone in 2014. |
The Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) had alleged Ms Cafferkey allowed a wrong temperature to be recorded when she returned to Heathrow and she left a screening area without flagging it up. | |
But it said she had no case to answer over dishonesty and her judgement may have been impaired due to illness. | But it said she had no case to answer over dishonesty and her judgement may have been impaired due to illness. |
Follow the hearing on Twitter | Follow the hearing on Twitter |
The panel at the conduct and competence committee is yet to decide whether to accept the NMC's move to have the dishonesty allegation dropped. | |
During Tuesday's morning session, the panel heard that the screening area at Heathrow airport was "busy, disorganised and even chaotic" when Ms Cafferkey and other medics arrived back from Sierra Leone. | |
The nurse's temperature was recorded twice at more than 38C. | |
Despite this, the panel was told, she allowed a temperature of 37.2C to be recorded on her screening form and continued into the arrivals area. | |
'Severe viral load' | |
Ms Cafferkey admitted taking paracetamol and discussing this with several doctors. | |
When she returned to the screening area, the doctor who examined her found her temperature to be normal and cleared the nurse to fly back to Scotland. | |
The panel heard that hours later she was diagnosed with one of the most severe viral loads of Ebola ever recorded. | |
Doctors said early symptoms would have impaired her judgement and that there was no evidence she had been deliberately dishonest to staff. | |
The hearing will resume later on Tuesday. | |
Earlier, the panel heard submissions on whether the two-day hearing should be held in private. | |
Ms Cafferkey's lawyer, Joyce Cullen, called for it to take place behind closed door to protect her client. | |
She said the hearing would examine "confidential matters" about Ms Cafferkey's health and her client had moved out of her home due to "intrusive" attention from the media. | She said the hearing would examine "confidential matters" about Ms Cafferkey's health and her client had moved out of her home due to "intrusive" attention from the media. |
The NMC did not object to the hearing being held in private, as long as the agreed facts were released at its conclusion. | The NMC did not object to the hearing being held in private, as long as the agreed facts were released at its conclusion. |
Following an objection from assembled sections of the media, the NMC decided to hear the charges against Ms Cafferkey and an agreed statement of facts. | Following an objection from assembled sections of the media, the NMC decided to hear the charges against Ms Cafferkey and an agreed statement of facts. |
It will decide later whether the full hearing should be held in private. | |
'Full facts' | |
Speaking last month, Ms Cafferkey said the "full facts" would be shared with the panel. | Speaking last month, Ms Cafferkey said the "full facts" would be shared with the panel. |
"Those facts, that have not yet been made public, will be considered by the panel as part of its review of all relevant information," she said. | "Those facts, that have not yet been made public, will be considered by the panel as part of its review of all relevant information," she said. |
"I would very much hope that after the case has been considered by the panel the matter will be at an end." | "I would very much hope that after the case has been considered by the panel the matter will be at an end." |
The NMC had originally alleged that Ms Cafferkey "allowed an incorrect temperature to be recorded" on 28 December 2014 and intended to conceal from Public Health England staff that she had a temperature higher than 38C. | The NMC had originally alleged that Ms Cafferkey "allowed an incorrect temperature to be recorded" on 28 December 2014 and intended to conceal from Public Health England staff that she had a temperature higher than 38C. |
The nurse, from Halfway, Cambuslang, contracted the virus while working as part of a British team at the Kerry Town Ebola treatment centre in 2014. | The nurse, from Halfway, Cambuslang, contracted the virus while working as part of a British team at the Kerry Town Ebola treatment centre in 2014. |
She spent almost a month in isolation at the Royal Free at the beginning of 2015 after the virus was detected when she arrived back in the UK. | She spent almost a month in isolation at the Royal Free at the beginning of 2015 after the virus was detected when she arrived back in the UK. |
Ms Cafferkey was later discharged after apparently making a full recovery, and in March 2015 returned to work as a public health nurse at Blantyre Health Centre in South Lanarkshire. | Ms Cafferkey was later discharged after apparently making a full recovery, and in March 2015 returned to work as a public health nurse at Blantyre Health Centre in South Lanarkshire. |
In October last year it was discovered that Ebola was still present in her body, with health officials later confirming she had been diagnosed with meningitis caused by the virus. | In October last year it was discovered that Ebola was still present in her body, with health officials later confirming she had been diagnosed with meningitis caused by the virus. |
However in the months that followed, her health suffered as she had issues with her thyroid, her hair fell out and she had headaches and pains in her joints. | However in the months that followed, her health suffered as she had issues with her thyroid, her hair fell out and she had headaches and pains in her joints. |
But Ms Cafferkey stressed that she felt lucky because she had not lost her sight as others had done. | But Ms Cafferkey stressed that she felt lucky because she had not lost her sight as others had done. |