UK psych nurse Gideon Bryant loses license for sexual relationship with teenage patient

January 5, 2014

A 48-year-old psychiatric staff nurse who had a relationship with a teenager has been struck off the nursing register.

Gideon Bryant met the 19-year-old when she was under his care at Bodmin Hospital in Cornwall in January 2011.

A Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) hearing in December found him guilty of misconduct.

The NMC said striking off was the only sufficient order to maintain public confidence in the profession.
'Became fixated'

The hearing in London was told the vulnerable teenager - known as Client A - was admitted to the hospital's psychiatric unit after being sectioned under the Mental Health Act and became "fixated" on the father of two.

Mr Bryant said his "loving and sexual relationship" with the teenager only began after she was discharged.

Following an internal inquiry at Bodmin Hospital, his employment was terminated and he was made the subject of an interim suspension order by the NMC last year.

In its ruling, the NMC said Mr Bryant's behaviour could have resulted in harm to Client A in light of her "clear vulnerability" and his serious misconduct amounted to an abuse of the special position of trust he held.

Mr Bryant's behaviour was such a serious departure from the standards required, it was "fundamentally incompatible" with his remaining on the register, it said.

Source: Bodmin Hospital nurse Gideon Bryant struck off, BBCNews, January 3, 2014.