An operating department practitioner has been struck off the Health Professionals Council (HPC) register for failing to disclose a conviction to the HPC and the NHS trust he worked for.
Richard Cox was working as the lead practitioner for main theatres and surgical day unit theatres at the Sandwell and West Birmingham NHS Trust when his conviction came to light.
When drugs went missing from the operating theatre, Mr Cox notified police and a list of all staff working on the relevant shifts – including Mr Cox – was provided to officers. His previous conviction emerged during the police investigation, a panel of the HPC Conduct and Competence Committee heard.
The panel was also presented with a copy of the HPC registration/readmission form signed by Mr Cox in which he had failed to disclose his conviction. Panel chair Martin Ryder said: “The Panel concluded that the registrant’s conviction for matters of dishonesty and deception fell well below the standards of honesty and integrity expected of a registered health professional.
“It was a matter of serious concern that the registrant had secured registration as an operating department practitioner on the basis of dishonesty and deception.”
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