UK Ebola Nurse Cleared

40-year-old Pauline Cafferkey was infected with Ebola while working in Sierra Leone in 2014.

19:37 15 September 2016

A Scottish nurse who survived Ebola has been cleared of misconduct charges after it was alleged that she allowed a wrong temperature to be recorded at Heathrow on her arrival in the UK.

 

She faced misconduct charges for allegedly allowing a wrong temperature to be recorded during the screening process at Heathrow on her arrival in the UK. The charges, which were filed by the Nursing and Midwifery Council, were dismissed because she had been impaired by illness.

 

Her lawyer, Joyce Cullen, said that her client was relieved and that she would “never have knowingly put anyone in danger.”

 

"Public Health England were unprepared for the volume of people returning from countries affected by Ebola," Ms Cullen said.

 

"There were also serious failures in communication amongst the Public Health England staff.

 

"It is perhaps ironic that given the criticisms made about Public Health England processes, it was their complaint which led to the Nursing and Midwifery Council investigation and these proceedings being initiated against Pauline."

 

She added: "Pauline was lucky to survive and since her return from Sierra Leone has continued to suffer from ill health," she said.

 

"The NMC disciplinary process has been very upsetting and stressful for Pauline. However, she's delighted that the panel has made the decision that she has no case to answer and that she's now able to continue her nursing career in Scotland, where she will carry on looking after families in Blantyre, who've been very appreciative of her skills and dedication."