Hospital Worker Reaches Breaking Point
A healthcare professional at a National Health Service trust made a drastic decision during a night shift, leading to a disciplinary hearing. Troy Butler, an operating department practitioner, admitted to self-administering anaesthetic gas because he was desperate for sleep.
The Incident Unfolds
The event took place at Doncaster and Bassetlaw Teaching Hospital in April 2023. Mr Butler, whose role included responding to cardiac arrests, was on a night shift when his team began preparing for an emergency operation around 1am. It was then that colleagues realised he was missing.
A search was launched, and over an hour later, a colleague discovered Mr Butler in the operating theatre. He was asleep on a trolley, covered with a sheet. The tribunal heard that he was holding the anaesthetic tube, with the end positioned near his mouth.
The colleague had to switch on the lights, clap loudly, and shout at Mr Butler to wake him. It took at least one minute to rouse him. Upon waking, he was described as "startled and appeared dazed", and it was a further 30-60 minutes before he was acting normally again.
Explaining the 'Impulse' Decision
When questioned by a nurse, Mr Butler explained his actions. He stated he was "desperate for sleep" after working extremely long hours, both with an agency and occasionally in a bar. He revealed he was regularly working 70 hours a week and had reached his "breaking point".
He told the nurse he took the gas "on impulse", initially taking a small amount. When he couldn't sleep, he "turned it up some more". He expressed deep regret, calling his decision "ridiculous".
Tribunal's Conclusion and Outcome
At the Health and Care Professionals Tribunal, Mr Butler conceded that his behaviour was "stupid and selfish" and admitted he had put "everyone at risk". Fortunately, the patient involved was safely anaesthetised and operated on, and Mr Butler finished his shift under supervision.
The panel accepted that this was an "isolated incident" caused by the extreme pressures in his life at the time. They noted that he is otherwise considered a "good and competent practitioner" and that he has since reduced his workload to improve his work-life balance.
As a result, Mr Butler was given a 12-month caution order by the tribunal.
