Bullwood Hall prison nurse overdosed inmate and gave wrong drugs to another

Yvonne Rumsey, from Westbury Road, Southend, was found guilty of misconduct by a Nursing and Midwifery Council panel in connection with the blunder.

She also gave an inmate antidepressants intended for another patient.

However, the watchdog decided against striking her off the register.

Neither patient died in the incidents at the prison, in Hockley, which has since closed.

The first incident happened on December 2, 2011, when Ms Rumsey gave “Patient A” the heroin substitute at above the correct dose.

A report following her suspension said: “Mrs Rumsey administered an incorrect amount of Buprenorphine to Prisoner A. The prescribed medication was a controlled drug. Mrs Rumsey administered this drug without a second signatory present, in contravention of the prison’s established procedure.”

In March 2012, before an investigation into the incident concluded, she made the other error.

While on a “return to work” programme, she should have only worked under supervision, but administered medication on her own.

The report added: “By early evening on this shift, she was the only registered nurse remaining on duty and therefore the only person qualified to administer medication.

“Mrs Rumsey administered Prisoner C’s medication, (antidepressant) Mirtazepine, to Prisoner B. As a result, Prisoner C did not receive his prescribed medication when it was due. Neither Prisoner B, nor Prisoner C suffered any harmas a result of the error.”

A separate investigation was launched during which she admitted not asking Prisoner B his name before administering the medication against prison policy.

In April 2012, she received a final written warning for the first offence and resigned on April 24 before the second investigation finished.

Following a subsequent investigation, she was placed on restricted duties last July, but then refused to cooperate with the probe.

She did not attend or have representation at the hearing in central London.