1 Sept 2022
An RCVS disciplinary committee has barred a Suffolk-based nurse from practising for three months, but concluded it was “highly unlikely” she would re-offend.
Vet Times
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A veterinary nurse who took pet food and medication without paying for them has been suspended from practice for three months.
An RCVS disciplinary panel said Stephanie Hazelwood’s conduct was “extremely serious”, but concluded that striking her off the register would be an excessive punishment.
Miss Hazelwood, who admitted the charges against her, said she was “deeply ashamed” of her actions, which the committee acknowledged were motivated by the need to protect her animals, rather than financial gain.
The case was brought over four incidents between April and August last year, while Miss Hazelwood was employed by Vets Now to provide out-of-hours services at Kesgrave, near Ipswich.
The operation was based at the premises of the Orwell Veterinary Group (OVG), for which Miss Hazelwood had previously worked and where several of her own animals were registered.
A disciplinary report said OVG staff had noticed an order for pet food for one of her cats in April 2021 without a charge being made to her client account.
A similar incident, which pre-dated that one, was later discovered, along with others in July and August.
Three of the incidents related to pet food, while the other was for medication that also did not have a prescription. Vets Now began disciplinary actions when it was made aware of the incidents.
Miss Hazelwood, who had worked as an RVN for 16 years without any previous incident, did not attend a two-day hearing into the case and was not represented.
However, in written submissions, she said she had “let the profession down”.
She added: “I understand the implications my actions have had on my future as a veterinary nurse, and I am deeply ashamed of how I have conducted myself and how poorly I upheld the RCVS code of conduct.”
The panel also heard she had repaid the value of the products involved and her pets had been moved to another practice.
The committee concluded Miss Hazelwood’s actions constituted disgraceful conduct, but also noted she had been “struggling financially and her motivation was not so much financial gain, but rather the need to feed and protect her animals”.
Panel chair Judith Way said they felt it was “highly unlikely” Ms Hazelwood would re-offend and she would be fit to return to practice after the suspension period.
She added: “The committee considered it would be wrong to deprive the profession of an otherwise competent veterinary nurse and that a member of the public in full possession of all the facts would not have their confidence in the profession undermined by such a decision.”
