An Aberdeen occupational therapist who moonlighted for another health provider on her sick days from NHS Grampian has been rapped by watchdogs.
Patricia Anne Lovie worked as a senior occupational health advisor for the north-east board’s Go Health Services from October 13, 2004, until September 6, 2013.
However, the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) found her fitness to practice had been impaired after she took sick leave six times to work as an advisor for H1 Healthcare between April and May 2013.
The NMC has now placed a five-year caution on her registration, ruling that her fitness to practice had been impaired by her actions.
It means she can continue to practise for the duration of the order, but employers can check her registration details and see why the penalty was issued and how long for.
Ms Lovie, from Craigiebuckler, worked for Clarity Healthcare on May 3, 2013, and on several occasions in 2012 after telling the health board she was unwell.
She also failed to inform International Subcontracting Solutions Ltd (ISS) – which provided her with the additional work – that she was employed elsewhere at the time.
After handing in her notice to NHS Grampian she began work at Abermed in November 2013.
However, she was dismissed on April 14, 2014, after the company discovered she had lied about her reasons for leaving her last job.
The panel found that she had “sought to conceal” from NHS Grampian the fact that she had been working for H1 Health Care and Clarity Healthcare.
Members were told she was “extremely remorseful” about her actions and had “engaged fully with the NMC process”.
They also heard that Ms Lovie – who has been nursing since 1991 – had “panicked and tried to cover up” her actions to NHS Grampian.
The panel’s report said she had worked “hours that were not sustainable” which “the potential to cause harm” to people in her care.
However, it added that she had a “previously unblemished career” and that the caution order would “be sufficient to protect the public”.
An NHS Grampian spokeswoman said the health board had “noted the decision of the NMC panel”.
Ms Lovie has since carried out an online training course in ethics and professionalism and is back working in health care.