Nurse sacked over explicit text messages used to work in Muckamore Abbey hospital

Nurse sacked over explicit text messages used to work in Muckamore Abbey hospital

16 October 2019

A DOWNPATRICK nurse sacked by the Belfast Trust over sexual harassment had worked in Muckamore Abbey hospital “while under investigation” for sending explicit messages to colleagues, it has been revealed.

James Houston also received an 18-month ban last summer by his professional body after an investigation was launched into allegations of vulnerable patients being assaulted by staff at the Co Antrim facility.

To date, 33 staff have been suspended from the regional hospital in addition to Mr Houston and the facility is at the centre of the biggest adult safeguarding probe carried out by the PSNI.

Last February, the Downpatrick man was one of seven nurses who successfully mounted a High Court challenge to have his Muckamore ban reversed. 

However, the sanction was reinstated in May by the regulator, the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC), at a fresh misconduct hearing, the Irish News reported.

Prior to taking up new employment in Muckamore in May 2017, Mr Houston was based for over a year in a unit for children with learning disabilities, the Iveagh Centre, which was run by the Belfast Trust in the west of the city.

It is understand concerns about his alleged harassment of more junior female care staff at Iveagh emerged a month into his job at Muckamore.

Mr Houston — who qualified as a learning disability nurse six years ago — was accused of sending sexually explicit text messages and making inappropriate physical advances to colleagues.

He was referred by the Belfast Trust to the NMC however this did not take place until four months after the allegations surfaced because he there was “no concern” about his “clinical practice”.

In September 2017, Mr Houston was suspended by the health trust from Muckamore after CCTV footage showing alleged abuse of patients came to light.

Within weeks, he was sacked by trust bosses due to the Iveagh claims being substantiated.

The NMC held a hearing in Belfast last month in relation to the Iveagh offences and imposed a 12-month ban on Mr Houston. The regulator’s interim 18-month ban relating to Muckamore also remains in place.

A Belfast Trust spokesman said it takes all allegations of misconduct “extremely seriously” and “immediately launched an internal investigation”.

The spokesmanadded:“We did not hesitate to refer this member of staff to the regulator, which in this instance was the NMC. 

Following the investigation and subsequent hearing the staff member was dismissed.

“The allegations did not cause concern about the staff member’s clinical practice in Iveagh at that time and he continued working at Muckamore Abbey Hospital whilst under investigation.”