A North East nurse has been handed a 12-month suspension by the Nursing and Midwifery Council for making a racist remark to a colleague.
Nicola Stamper, a nurse working at Victoria House care home in Stockton, was charged with making a racially abusive comment towards a colleague on March 14, 2021, which she admitted to.
A spokesperson for Victoria House care home said: “We pride ourselves on creating a welcoming, inclusive environment for everyone living and working in our home.
"We absolutely do not tolerate discrimination or any behaviour which undermines our values of kindness and respect.
"As soon as we became aware of this upsetting incident in March 2021 we immediately suspended Ms Stamper while we launched an investigation. We also reported Ms Stamper to the NMC ourselves at this time.
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"Ms Stamper has not worked for HC-One in any capacity since this matter came to light three years ago.
"We support the decision of the NMC, and are absolutely clear that there is no space for racism or discrimination of any kind in care.”
The panel deemed Ms Stamper's actions as misconduct and concluded that her ability to practise was impaired due to the severity of the incident, which involved racial abuse and discrimination.
The decision to suspend her was influenced by the seriousness of the misconduct, the necessity to maintain public confidence in the nursing profession and the importance of upholding professional standards.
Mitigating factors were also considered by the panel which included that the misconduct was a single incident, and Ms Stamper showed remorse for her actions.
She made early admissions and apologised to her colleagues and has been asked to undergo Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion training.
The panel felt that suspension was necessary to demonstrate the gravity of the misconduct and to uphold the public's trust in the nursing profession and the NMC's role as a regulatory body.
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