Health Ombudsman v Fletcher

The Health Ombudsman brought proceedings against Ms Fletcher, a registered nurse, alleging professional misconduct in her role at a correctional facility. The Ombudsman claimed that Ms Fletcher failed to adequately monitor an inmate with a head injury and did not transfer him to hospital, which resulted in serious harm to the inmate. The case was heard by the tribunal, which was tasked with determining whether Ms Fletcher's conduct amounted to professional misconduct and what sanctions, if any, should be imposed.

The tribunal had to decide whether Ms Fletcher's failure to adequately monitor the inmate and her decision not to transfer him to hospital constituted professional misconduct. The tribunal also had to consider the appropriate sanction for Ms Fletcher's misconduct, including whether her registration should be cancelled and whether she should be disqualified from applying for registration as a health practitioner in the future.

The tribunal found that Ms Fletcher's conduct amounted to professional misconduct, and therefore her registration was cancelled. The tribunal set aside the suspension imposed by the Health Ombudsman, but imposed a twelve-month disqualification from applying for registration as a health practitioner. The tribunal also ordered that Ms Fletcher be reprimanded and that the parties bear their own costs of the proceeding.

The tribunal's final orders were that Ms Fletcher's registration be cancelled, she be disqualified from applying for registration as a health practitioner for twelve months, she be reprimanded, and the parties bear their own costs. The tribunal set aside the previous suspension imposed by the Health Ombudsman.