Publisher Health

A mental health nurse who said “I would’ve drowned her at birth” and “take her to the vets and get her put down” about vulnerable patients has been struck off.

Kathleen Alexandra Warmington was given a striking-off order by the Nursing & Midwifery Council for serious misconduct.

The community mental health practitioner, who worked in Northamptonshire, admitted making several “inappropriate comments” between August and November 2022.

She was suspended for an initial 18 months which will be replaced with a permanent suspension, although she can choose to appeal.

The hearing was told Warmington’s conduct became a cause for concern after she made numerous comments about patients and colleagues.

While speaking about one service user she said “take her to the vets and get her put down” and also stated another needed “to get a grip”.

The nurse, who had 20 years’ experience in mental health, called another patient a “naughty girl”, adding she was lucky to be given her medication.

She also said to another that “being miserable is a choice” and said “I’m not a fan of that” when discussing ADHD with a patient.

The nurse told another colleague “if she were my daughter, I would’ve drowned her at birth” in reference to someone she was entrusted with taking care of.

On another occasion she told a colleague to “kiss my white a**” – a comment she said she made as “banter” in an attempt to fit in after moving from a private hospital.

Finally, Mrs Warmington also suggested a patient could go to a crisis house, even though doing so was not considered to be clinically appropriate.

After being told such an admission would be not be permitted, she told the user that no beds were available at the crisis house, even though this was not true.

The panel concluded Mrs Warmington’s fitness to practice was impaired, she had committed misconduct, and her actions had put patients at an “unwanted risk of harm”.

The Northamptonshire Healthcare Foundation Trust has been contacted for comment.