Nursing and Midwifery Council v Adams

MR JUSTICE SILBER: The National Nursing and Midwifery Council ("the applicant") seeks an extension of an Interim Suspension Order made on 19 August 2009 against Alison Jane Adams ("the respondent"), made under Article 31(8) of the Nursing and Midwifery Order, for a period of 12 months from 18 February 2011, so as to expire on 18 February 2012. The Respondent came to the attention of the Applicant in 2008 following referral from the University Hospitals of Leicester National Health Service Trust in respect of a number of allegations, including taking dihydrocodeine from the drug trolley for her own use.

There are issues relating to the respondent's health, which the applicant has sought to investigate before making a misconduct referral, and there is also the police involvement on a separate matter involving shoplifting. The difficulty that has arisen is that the respondent has failed to make herself available for clinical examination. There have been numerous attempts to ensure that she does appear, but she has not done so, and it is for that reason that an extension is now sought. She has been dually served with this application, but has not appeared.

In those circumstances I propose to make the order sought and to extend the period of the order until 4pm on 18 February 2012, while giving the respondent permission to apply within three days of the notice to the applicant to report for an order to vary or discharge this order. There will also be no order as to costs. Thank you very much.