Essex ESNEFT nurse is struck-off after interview fixing

Others in the interview process deemed the candidate “unappointable” for the role as a healthcare assistant at the East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust.

But Julie Sandra Harris, who had worked at the trust which runs hospitals in Colchester, Harwich, Clacton and Ipswich for 32 years, tampered with the scores to fix who was hired.

A Nursing and Midwifery Council Fitness to Practise Committee heard when Harris found out she was being investigated she tried to find the “backstabber” colleague who reported her.

Hospital - the nurse worked at an ESNEFT-run site (Image: Newsquest)

A report from the committee states Harris was an experienced Band 7 nurse, and NHS figures reveal she would have received a salary of almost £50,000.

The case came to trust bosses’ attention after a whistleblower claimed Harris altered scores for interviews which she did not conduct on January 14, 2019.

The committee heard she also illicitly accessed two people’s medical records on multiple occasions between September 2018 and January 2019.

When approached, Harris admitted: “I increased the scores of three candidates and decreased the score of one”.

The report adds she thought it “would be nice to give someone a chance to be a healthcare assistant” when giving someone she knew, deemed “unappointable” by others, the job.

ESNEFT - the Fryatt Hospital

“The panel was of the view that Mrs Harris put the public at risk by appointing an individual who was clearly unsuitable for the HCA role which required clinical skill and judgement,” the report adds.

“Without the intervention of the whistleblower, this person could have been left to treat patients which, if they did not have the clinical skills to do so, could have put patients at risk of harm.”

Harris, who did not attend the hearing and has since retired, was struck-off for 18 months after three misconduct charges were proven against her, and a further three partially proven.

The report adds: “The panel is of the view that there is evidence of a harmful, deep seated personality or attitudinal problem.

“Mrs Harris abused her position of power and trust, whilst making calculated and premeditated actions.”

ESNEFT's deputy chief nurse Anne Rutland said: “We are committed to upholding professional standards across our organisation and all due processes were corrected followed during the investigation and actions relating to this case.”