Number of nurses struck off doubles

The number of nurses struck off the professional register has more than doubled in the past five years because of the rising number of complaints involving violence towards patients.

The number of nurses struck off the professional register has more than doubled in the past five years because of the rising number of complaints involving violence towards patients.

The first detailed report to be made public by the United Kingdom Central Council for Nursing, Midwifery and Health Visiting (UKCC), the nursing regulatory body, shows that more than a quarter of the staff removed from the register last year were employed in the nursing home sector and a third of cases involved physical and verbal abuse.

The findings show that last year 96 nurses were removed from the register, compared with 45 in 1994. The UKCC received 1,142 allegations of misconduct against its members last year, compared with 893 in 1996. Nearly half of the allegations came from employers and 22 per cent were from the public.

"This report provides graphic evidence of the UKCC's commitment to consider complaints as swiftly, effectively and robustly as possible," said Alison Norman, the UKCC's president.