Dental nurse struck off

A FORMER dental nurse employed by the  St Olaf Street surgery, in Lerwick, has been struck off from the General Dental Council’s register for overcharging patients between August 2010 and August 2011, and pocketing the excess cash.

Melanie Inkster failed to attend a public hearing of the GDC’s professional conduct committee, in London, last week.

The hearing was told that Ms Inkster had admitted her actions during her employer’s disciplinary process, when it was recorded that she said “it was not something she would normally do, but it started and got out of hand”.

The committee said: “Ms Inkster’s actions fell far short of the standards of the profession, and her conduct was inappropriate and dishonest.

“Ms Inkster’s action was a serious breach of patient trust and disregarded basic tenets of the profession. Her actions in stealing from patients and the practice were dishonest, systematic and sustained conduct over a period of time.”

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“Whilst recognising that dishonesty does not inevitably lead to erasure from the GDC’s register, the case also involved breaches of patient trust.

“Ms Inkster’s behaviour has been deemed so unacceptable to the reputation of the profession that erasure is the only appropriate and proportionate sanction.”

She has until 2 December to lodge an appeal to the Court of Session. If Ms Inkster does not appeal then her name will be erased with effect from 3 December 2012.