A NURSE who gave a drug overdose to a mental health patient and then tried to cover up her mistake has been cautioned. Madelynne Gray, from WGC, was found guilty of misconduct by the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) last week. At a hearing of the NMC

A NURSE who gave a drug overdose to a mental health patient and then tried to cover up her mistake has been cautioned.

Madelynne Gray, from WGC, was found guilty of misconduct by the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) last week.

At a hearing of the NMC's conduct and competence committee panel, Gray was given a two year caution order, after she mistakenly gave a patient the drug Concerta XL, which is used to treat Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD), even though he had already received his daily dose of medication.

The panel heard how, on the evening of April 28 2006, Gray was working as a nurse at Suttons Manor Independent Hospital, a 24-bed residential hospital for men with severe mental illness in Romford, Essex.

She had been told earlier in the day that the patient's prescription for Concerta had been reduced from two 18mg tablets a day to just one in the morning, but mistakenly administered a further dose that evening.

Having done so, she failed to tell other medical staff of her mistake, and did not record the error accurately in the patient's clinical notes. Gray blamed a lack of staffing on the day and said she felt under pressure.

The error did not cause the patient any harm, although the panel noted that Gray's actions had the potential to do so.

Gray, 49, was given a two-year caution in light of her previous good record, and the fact that she has since expressed remorse and apologised to the patient.

She will not be prevented from practising during that time.