Nurse suspended for putting his hand down female colleague’s trousers

The incidents took place at Kirkcaldy's Victoria Hospital

Iain Scott touched the breast of a colleague and shouted ‘whooo’, and said one female colleague had a builder’s bum and walked like a man while working at the Victoria Hospital.

Scott was reported to horrified NHS Fife bosses and suspended.

He admitted making comments about a female colleague ‘swaggering’ and sounding like a man before saying to her ‘my name is Neil and I used to be a man’ in front of shocked colleagues.

The staff nurse also admitted telling a nurse she had a ‘builder’s bum’ before putting a gloved hand down her trousers and yanking them up.

A police investigation saw Scott charged but he was later acquitted of all charges against him in August 2017.

But he was hauled before the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) in October last year who found nine charges against him proven between September 2014 and January 2017.

A review hearing has now seen him suspended for a year after it was ruled his fitness to practice remains impaired.

The NMC had earlier been told by the nurse whose breasts were touched that Scott had said “whooo” after making contact and said the comment had been made in a ‘Carry on Matron’ way.

Scott said he believed his conduct was just ‘general banter’ and insisted he was ‘mortified’ to have caused colleagues offence.

A written NMC ruling said: “This panel had no new information from Mr Scott to suggest that his insight has developed any further or that the risk of repetition has reduced.

“For these reasons, the panel concluded that there remains a risk of repetition and therefore a finding of current impairment on public protection grounds remains necessary.

“The panel also bore in mind that its primary function was to protect patients and the wider public interest which includes maintaining confidence in the nursing profession and upholding proper standards of conduct and performance.

“The panel agreed with the decision of the substantive panel that, due to the serious nature of this case, a finding of current impairment on public interest grounds was necessary to uphold proper standards and public confidence in the nursing profession

“The panel gave serious consideration to a striking-off order, noting in particular the seriousness of the concerns, Mr Scott’s potential and repetitive attitudinal problem, and his apparent disengagement.

“However, it decided that it would be disproportionate at this stage to move to a striking-off order.

“The panel therefore concluded that a suspension order is the appropriate and proportionate sanction that would both protect the public and satisfy the wider public interest.

“Accordingly, the panel determined to impose a suspension order for the period of 12 months.”

Scott did not attend the hearing in Edinburgh and was not represented by a lawyer

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