A nurse racked up a pnds stlg 230 bill on her work
A nurse racked up a pnds stlg 230 bill on her work mobile phone chatting to friends, an inquiry heard today (MON).
Anne Coia, 43, made 200 calls in one month while working for Lambeth Community Healthcare Trust when the usual bill in that time was only five pounds.
Miss Coia also failed to account for stlg 27.
44 given by a patient at the Mawbury Health Centre to pay his electricity bill in February 1999.
The nurse, who was employed by the agency Nursing 2000 UK, admitted all the facts in the case.
UKCC Committee Chairman Margaret Collingwood said the nurse’s case would be considered by another committee after hearing of her alcohol problem.
She added: ‘We are concerned that Miss Coia’s fitness to practice may be impaired by the admitted alcohol problem.
‘We have decided to refer her to professional screeners with a view to referring her to the health committee.
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Counsel for the UKCC, Katrina Wingfield, said Miss Coia’s behaviour emerged when a mobile phone bill arrived for 245 pounds covering January to March 1999.
She added: ‘It was provided by the Health Centre for health purposes and the typical bill was usually five pounds a month covering 20 calls of limited duration.
‘But in the month of January she made over 200 phone calls and in the three months she ran up a bill of 245 pounds.
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Patient Mr A then enquired about his electricity bill because he had received a red letter warning.
The Director of the agency held a meeting with Coia in March 1999 and she promised to pay the phone bill back from her wages.
She also claimed she would bring the receipt for the electricity payment but did not do so over the following weeks.
Coia, who did not attend the hearing, said she had an alcohol problem at the time but had now recovered and wanted to continue nursing.
The committee decided the case for misconduct would best be heard by the health committee after finding the facts proved.
ends
