Colchester nurse struck off for withholding morphine from brain tumour patient for being 'lazy'

A care home nurse has been struck off after he gave a brain tumour patient sugar and water instead of pain relief.

Vijayan Rajoo said he felt the patient was "just being lazy" and did not need pain relief.

Rajoo, 64, also failed to check supplies in the controlled drug cupboards at the start and end of his shifts, according to a misconduct panel.

He was struck off for 18 months after a deputy manager at the home, St Fillans in Colchester, Essex, discovered 20ml of liquid morphine Oramorph was unaccounted for in June 2019.

Rajoo later confessed to not giving the brain tumour patient a dose of Oramorph as a form of pain relief as he felt the patient "did not need it".

It was reported the patient could immediately tell the sugar and water mix "didn't taste right".

The misconduct panel found all charges against Rajoo proven. In their conclusions, the panel said Rajoo showed a "serious lack of compassion".

Read full story

Source: ITV News, 13 August 2022