Saundersfoot Medical Centre nurse suspended

Angela Cullen was found to have taken £1,900 in cash from a patient, £87.50 in card payments and then, during an investigation, denying she had done so.

At a Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) fitness to practise committee held on August 12, Cullen, who was working at Saundersfoot Medical Centre, was given an interim suspension of 18 months with 28 days to appeal the decision before she’s struck off.

The case goes back to February 17, 2021, when the NMC received a referral from a member of the public and another unnamed person who alleged Cullen borrowed large sums of money from someone - only known as ‘Patient A’ in the report - on three occasions.

Cullen allegedly said to Patient A that she intended to repay him and evidence did show Cullen repaid £200 in two payments of £100, made on May 7, 2020, and July 10, 2020.

Then the surgery received an anonymous letter on July 15, 2020, informing the surgery of loans. Cullen was initially suspended from her role pending a local investigation. She was subsequently reinstated when the surgery concluded there was no case to answer.

Then Cullen was again suspended and questioned as part of an investigation initially denying borrowing more than £80 from Patient A.

She eventually admitted that she did lie about the amount of money Patient A had lent her.

She also admitted that everything which had been reported by Patient A was the truth.

Cullen was found to have breached professional boundaries, in around January 2019 to March 2021 by, on at least three occasions, contacting Patient A and asking for large sums of money, taking at least £1,900 in cash and £87.50 as a card payment, and then being critical of Patient A for telling colleagues that she owed him money.

Cullen was also found to have falsely denied borrowing money during an investigation conducted by her employer between 20 July, 2020 and 18 February, 2021.

Cullen was also charged with being dishonest by knowing she had borrowed money from a patient and was attempting to conceal it from her employer.

Witnesses who testified in the case included Patient A along with an assistant practice manager to the surgery, an adult practitioner for Hywel Dda and a Pembrokeshire County Council social worker

It was the social worker whose comments were highlighted in the report saying Cullen showed ‘a lack of empathy’ that she had done anything wrong.

“She was more concerned about her job and her NMC PIN. She had made no effort to pay him back. There was a lack of respect for the patient and his money.”

Saundersfoot Medical Centre, where Cullen was working. Google Maps (Image: Google Maps)

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The report went on to say: “The nursing profession is a caring profession. To abuse a position of power is a breach of this most fundamental tenet.

“In failing to be open and honest about the nature of her relationship with Patient A and the extent of her borrowing from him, Miss Cullen has demonstrated behaviour which raises fundamental concerns about her trustworthiness.

“Miss Cullen’s actions were significant departures from the standards expected of a registered nurse, and are fundamentally incompatible with her remaining on the register.”