[420 Girl]

A medic at the Royal Devon amp; Exeter Hospital who tested positive for cannabis after failing to turn up for work has been struck off. Jennie Andrews, a biomedical hospital scientist, also tried to persuade a colleague to provide a urine test sample for her, a disciplinary hearing in London heard.

John Williams, chairman of a Health Professions Council panel, ordered the striking off of Andrews, who worked in microbiology. In findings just published, he said: "The behaviour was deliberate abuse of alcohol and the use of cannabis, a lack of honesty and integrity and a lack of insight into the effect of her behaviour."

The hearing had been told that Andrews was employed by the Royal Devon and Exeter NHS Foundation Trust from December, 2004, until her dismissal on February 28, last year. During that time, she didn't turn up for work on several occasions due to drug and alcohol-related issues. She was said to have failed to attend work on May 26, 2006, without contacting her employer to explain her absence, and on September 25, 2006, she had undergone tests for drugs and alcohol which had proved positive for cannabis.

During a meeting with a doctor on October 11, 2006, to discuss the test results, the panel's findings say Andrews had admitted using cannabis regularly and had later conceded that some of her previous absences from work were the result of the effects of too much alcohol. She again didn't turn up for work on November 23, 2006, due to "alcohol-related issues" and the following month tested positive again for cannabis.

The hearing had been told that on January 15, 2007 - when she was required to provide a further urine sample - she had requested the help of a colleague in providing the sample on her behalf. Describing her attendance at work as "patchy" at the relevant time with a "lack of communication", Mr Williams said it demonstrated "she was taking substances which had the potential to affect her cognitive function". Without evidence of any change in Ms Andrews' situation since the relevant events, Mr Williams said the panel had decided to erase the medic's name from the register of medical practitioners.

An RD &E spokeswoman: "In common with all NHS organisations, the RD &E has robust human resources policies and procedures in place. "We consider that we took the appropriate action to first monitor and then dismiss this employee, when it became apparent that there was a serious issue which could not be resolved."

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