Bethlem Royal Hospital sex-pest nurse suspended after rude sausage gesture (From News Shopper)

Bethlem Royal Hospital sex-pest nurse suspended after rude sausage gesture

9:37am Wednesday 17th October 2012 in Bromley By Heloise Wood

A MALE nurse from Bethlem Royal Hospital in Beckenham has been suspended for making a number of sexual advances to colleagues and lying after a complaint was made against him.

The Nursing and Midwifery Council’s conduct and competence committee heard that in February 2010 Garry Commey gave a female staff member a lift home.

While in her flat it was alleged he made sexually inappropriate comments and gestures to her.

During an investigation into the matter Commey made allegations against his colleague, which he later withdrew and admitted were false.

The committee heard there were also several incidents involving another female staff member.

On one occasion it was alleged Commey asked the nurse “don’t you like big juicy sausages?” in the hospital canteen in front of patients, before picking up a sausage with a fork and making a gesture “back and forth” towards his mouth.

During other meetings it was alleged Commey asked the staff member about her sexual preferences, tried to rub her shoulders and put his face to her chest.

He was also said to have sent the same woman a Facebook message that was “not appropriate” and which “freaked her out”.

The incidents took place when Commey was working at the Behavioural Disorders Unit at Bethlem, in Monks Orchard Road, Beckenham, part of South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust.

At the end of a three-day hearing the panel made a suspension order for six months against Commey who had admitted the accusations.

The panel said: “The panel is of the view that your actions fell seriously short of the conduct and standards expected of a registered nurse on a number of occasions and amounted to misconduct.”