Hospice Nurse Removed from Register Following Serious Misconduct Findings
A hospice nurse who placed bets with colleagues about a patient dying on Christmas Day and refused a Traveller family's request to visit their deceased loved one has been officially struck off the nursing register. Naomi Butcher, aged 60 and from Burgess Hill in West Sussex, committed a series of grave errors during her employment at St Peter and St James Hospice in Lewes, East Sussex, which provides care for individuals with life-limiting conditions.
Discriminatory Comments and Betting Incident
During an incident in December 2023, Ms Butcher made a bet with colleagues, stating words to the effect that she wagered a patient would pass away on Christmas Day. This insensitive remark was later followed by a more serious episode in March 2024, when she denied permission for a Traveller family to visit their relative who had just died at the hospice.
She told colleagues that the family 'would stay for hours because they are gypsies' and predicted that '20 of them' might arrive if allowed. Furthermore, she added that members of the Traveller community 'burn their bodies in caravans when they die'. A Fitness to Practise Committee Hearing found these comments to be discriminatory, unacceptable, degrading, and unprofessional, causing emotional and psychological distress to the family.
Medication Errors Placing Patients at Risk
Ms Butcher's misconduct extended beyond inappropriate remarks to critical clinical failures. She administered ten times the prescribed dose of Midazolam—a potent benzodiazepine—to a male patient, giving 50mg over 24 hours instead of the intended 5mg. This error placed the patient at significant risk of death, and she falsely recorded administering the correct dosage, thereby missing an opportunity to intervene and prevent harm.
On the same day as the Traveller family incident, she also gave another patient oxycodone instead of morphine sulphate. Additional lapses included failing to administer medications when required, providing incorrect doses, and neglecting necessary patient checks, leaving one individual in pain due to an incomplete oxycodone dose.
Investigation and Tribunal Findings
The tribunal heard evidence from colleagues, including Kelly Viner, who reported the discriminatory comments via email the following day. Ms Butcher admitted to most allegations but denied the specific remark about burning bodies in caravans; however, this was proven based on witness testimony and her absence from the hearing to dispute it.
After the hospice emailed her about medication errors while she was on holiday in Tunisia, Ms Butcher resigned six days later and went on sick leave, preventing further investigation by her employer. St Peter and St James Hospice referred her conduct to the Nursing and Midwifery Council in April 2024.
Limited Insight and Current Status
The committee noted that Ms Butcher has shown 'limited insight' into her actions and failed to understand their impact on patients, colleagues, and the public. She has not taken steps to address concerns about her clinical practice. Despite this, she was reportedly working shifts at an assisted living facility until recently and, according to social media, is employed teaching nursing at University College London.
In a statement to the Daily Mail, Ms Butcher claimed she requested to self-remove from the register twice but was refused, as authorities opted to strike her off. She attributed mistakes to personal family issues and stated she should not have returned to acute nursing, though she did not address the specific comments about patients. Her removal from the register will take effect after a 28-day appeal period.
