A NURSING assistant pocketed money for items she claimed she bought for vulnerable elderly and psychiatric patients.

Margaret Hamilton, who has 28 years experience in the health service, submitted scores of receipts for items worth up to a maximum of £100.

Suspicions arose when the cashiers' office at Monkwearmouth Hospital in Sunderland, noticed two receipts for items valued at £100, submitted by Hamilton, but which were signed in a colleague's name, last January.

She was confronted and returned the cash, but was suspended pending an investigation.

Durham Crown Court heard that all previous claims were scrutinised and 52 submitted by Hamilton were identified as suspicious, all signed in other staff members' names.

Susan Hirst, prosecuting, said: "In theory the receipts were for items she bought for the patients' needs, but rather than spending it on patients she was spending it on herself."

Among items she claimed for were two portable tv sets and a music system all supposedly bought for one patient.

Miss Hirst said the amounts on the 52 claims totalled £4,730, for which the health trust has since reimbursed the patients involved.

But it was decided that amounts in all "suspicious" receipts going back to 2001 should be paid back, which involved £11,655 being reimbursed.

Miss Hirst said Hamilton made denials in interview and claimed it was "common practice" of staff to submit their own receipts if genuine ones were lost.

Hamilton, 47, of Adolphus Street West, Seaham, County Durham, admitted making false representation intending to make a gain, between March 19, 2008, and January 14 last year.

Nigel Hedley, mitigating, said the offences cost Hamilton her good name and her job, from which was sacked for gross misconduct.

"She's ended in a position out of her depth.

"It's a possibility that it's an escalation of something that started small and developed."

He told the court Hamilton has debts for which she receives counselling but will attempt to pay back the money.

Judge Michael Cartlidge told Hamilton it may mean she even needs to sell her house to use the equity to reimburse the health trust.

He imposed a nine-month prison sentence, suspended for 12 months, with 200-hours' unpaid work.

She was ordered to pay compensation of £2,365 to the Northumberland, Tyne & Wear Federation NHS Trust by December 5 and a further similar amount by September 5 next year.

Alan Stewart, fraud manager for the National Health Service's Counter Fraud Service, said: "Hamilton deliberately set out to steal money belonging to vulnerable patients at the risk of bringing suspicion on her honest NHS colleagues.

"The trust has ensured the patients have had their money reimbursed and Hamilton has been dismissed."