UK psych nurse David Swankie loses license for sex with former patient

October 22, 2012

A MALE nurse has been struck off for having sex with one of his former psychiatric patients.

David Swankie approached the woman at the hospital where he worked and asked her to become Facebook friends, the Nursing and Midwifery Council heard.

He claimed he believed the woman, who he had treated in the past but was no longer his patient, had been discharged two weeks before the start of their six-month relationship in June 2010.

She was, however, awaiting a post-discharge meeting.

During an investigation by NHS Fife in July 2010, it came to light that Swankie had also become Facebook friends with three other female patients who were on his caseload at St Andrews Memorial Hospital.

His behaviour came to light after a colleague raised concerns.

Swankie was struck off this week after admitting 24 charges of misconduct, which also included repeatedly failing to see patients referred to him between February 2009 and July 2010.

In one case, a patient who took an overdose waited almost 12 weeks to be seen, despite two letters from her worried GP requesting an urgent appointment.

Swankie was dismissed by NHS Fife after a disciplinary hearing in November 2010.

Source: "Male nurse struck off for having sex with psychiatric patient," The Daily Record and Sunday Mail," October 13, 2012.