An Angus mental health nurse is facing a string of historical misconduct charges after allegedly forming an inappropriate sexual relationship with a patient in her care.
Diane Veronica Ward will go before Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) chiefs after being accused of the breach between March 2004 and September 2007 while employed as a project worker for Day Activities Rural Angus and the area’s community mental health team.
The charges state: “Between March 2004 and September 2007 (Ward) conducted an inappropriate relationship with Service User A, a patient under your care.
“On one or more occasion between March 2004 and September 2007 had inappropriate meetings with Service User A at your home address, at Service User A’s home address, in a car.
“On one or more occasion between March 2004 and January 2005 sent inappropriate text messages to Service User A.”
The conduct set out in the three charges is alleged to have been “sexually motivated”.
Ms Ward faces a further charge of failing to report inappropriate text messages sent to her during October 2007 by Service User A.
The NMC states that Ms Ward’s “fitness to practise is impaired by reason of your misconduct” after the allegations surfaced in March this year.
Ms Ward has been called before an NMC panel in Edinburgh on May 27 for a hearing expected to last three days.
The NMC confirmed the nurse has been suspended pending the outcome of the case.
A spokeswoman said: “Ms Ward has been given an interim suspension order, which was imposed on a risk assessment order and is not an indication of facts.”
A spokeswoman for Angus Council said Ms Ward is no longer an employee of the local authority.
Attempts by The Courier to make contact with Ms Ward were unsuccessful.
The NMC acts as the regulatory body for 67,000 healthcare employees across the UK and investigates allegations of breaches of standards laid out by the body which all nurses and doctors must abide by.