The nurse has now been struck off meaning he cannot work on the wards.
A nurse who “grabbed” a patient’s throat and held on to him in an “inappropriate restraint” has been banned from the wards. Paul Williams was struck off the nursing register by a professional standards panel. The Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) committee heard that mental health nurse Williams had also failed to tell his employer he had been convicted of assault in Spain. The offences occurred at Ty Cwm Rhondda, a low secure mental health unit in Ystrad.
Williams also mimicked the patient by making a headbutting motion and hitting himself on the head, the committee heard. The mental health nurse told the distressed man to “go on then, kick off” and also told him he could only have his parcel if he “returned the handcuffs.”
The charge nurse mimicked the patient’s distress, encouraged an escalation and applied an inappropriate restraint on his head and/or neck leading to a local investigation, the panel was told. For our free daily briefing on the biggest issues facing the nation, sign up to the Wales Matters newsletter here.
In a statement the man, identified only as Patient A to protect his identity, said that Williams “grabbed my throat.”
A healthcare worker at the unit, who the panel was told witnessed the incident, said that they saw Williams force the patient’s head downward toward his chest.
The ward manager told the committee that there are no appropriate or safe restraint techniques involving holding a patient’s head or neck.
“Williams antagonised Patient A by goading and mocking him in front of other healthcare colleagues, and while Patient A was in a state of distress. Mr Williams’ behaviour likely caused unnecessary harm through additional upset and distress to Patient A,” the committee said in its written report of the hearing.
It went on: “Mr Williams put Patient A at potential risk of physical harm by antagonising Patient A, and later using an inappropriate restraint when holding the head and neck of Patient A.”
During a safeguarding meeting after the incidents it then also emerged that Williams had been convicted of assault in Spain the previous year but had not informed his employer, or the NMC as he was required to.
Williams faced the following allegations, all of which were found proved, at a Nursing and Midwifery council hearing held virtually from April 1 to 3:
That on July 8 2022 he:
1.
a) Told Patient A that he could have his parcel if he returned the handcuffs.
b) Mimicked Patient A by:
i. Making a headbutting motion.
ii. Hitting himself on the head.
c) Said words to the effect of “go on then, kick off” in response to Patient A.
d) Used an inappropriate restraint on Patient A by holding onto his head and/or neck.
2. On August 15 or 16, 2021 received a conviction from a Spanish court for assault.
3. Failed to inform his employer and/or the NMC that he had been charged and later convicted for assault in Spain on August 15 or 16 2021.
4. His actions at charge three above were dishonest in that he knew he should have told his employer and/or the NMC about the criminal proceedings as soon as he could. and; in light of the above his fitness to practise is impaired by reason of misconduct
After the incidents on July 8, 2022 Williams went on sick leave, was suspended on August 2, 2022 and subsequently dismissed on September 12, 2022 and the matter was referred to the NMC, the hearing was told.
In its written findings of the decision, published online, the NMC said Williams, who did not engage in the hearing proceedings, had received a two-year suspended custodial sentence for his conviction of assault in Spain.
“The dishonest conduct of Mr Williams fell significantly short of the standards expected of a registered professional. His conduct would be seen as deplorable and would seriously damage the trust that the public places in the profession,” the NMC said.
The committee imposed a suspension order for 18-months to allow for the possibility of an appeal to be made by Williams and concluded.
If no appeal is made, then the interim suspension order will be replaced by a substantive striking off order.
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