A DISGRACED nurse who conned people into believing he was a surgeon for SEVEN years and pocketed more than £4,500 for shifts he did not work has been struck off.

Kevin O’Flanagan worked in operating theatres at Broomfield Hospital, in Chelmsford, between 2006 and 2014.

He previously lived in Colchester.

He appeared before the Nursing and Midwifery Council last month where he was found to have lied to his friends and family over a seven year period.

Mr O’Flanagan, 54, even tricked his wife into thinking he was a top surgeon – despite working as a nurse.

He was found to have lied on the networking site LinkedIn by claiming he was a clinical lead of head and neck surgery between April 2012 and April 2014.

His then wife alerted his bosses at Mid Essex Hospital Trust to concerns she had about the legitimacy of a letter offering him a promotion.

An investigation was launched into the allegations, but a hearing was postponed.

That meant Mr O’Flanagan was still able to practice as a nurse until 2017, despite leaving his job three years earlier.

Mr O’Flanagan admitted trying to keep up the pretence by writing a letter to himself purporting to be from a colleague.

It offered him a fellowship in Cranio-Facial Maxillary Reconstruction Surgery with a special interest in general orthopaedic trauma in 2013.

A Nursing and Midwifery Council panel found he listed his job title as orthopaedic practitioner on his marriage certificate and allowed his wife, friends and family to believe he was a doctor for more than seven years.

They also found he claimed £4,555 for 42 bank shifts he did not work at the Chelmsford hospital. In total 11 charges against the nurse were found to amount to misconduct.

Mr O’Flanagan was handed a striking off order alongside an interim suspension order of 18 months.

A spokesman for the Mid Essex Hospital Services NHS Trust, which runs Broomfield Hospital, said: “Following the NMC committee ruling against Mr O’ Flanagan, the trust can confirm that as soon as we were made aware of the allegations, Mr O’Flanagan was immediately suspended from work pending an internal enquiry and the subsequent NMC investigation and hearing.

“At no time was Mr O’ Flanagan performing any other duties than his role of theatre assistant, and was never alone with any patients during his time in theatre.

“The trust takes patient safety very seriously and will investigate any allegations of misconduct or concern raised against any member of staff.”