The NMC reaches a decision on an ex-RAF nurse’s conduct in Shropshire over money she received for attending a conference
The NMC has reaced a decision regarding a hearing into the conduct of a former RAF nurse in Shropshire
A former Royal Air Force (RAF) nurse knowingly received money for a conference she did not attend, an NMC hearing has ruled - while finding that her condict was not dishonest.
Four of the six charges that Deborah Hudson faced at a Nursing & Midwifery Council (NMC) substantive fit to practice hearing have been found to be proven.
It related to a primary health care conference that Mrs Hudson attended on May 11 and 12, 2025. At the time, she worked as a practice nurse at RAF Shawbury, but she she has since left the position and is now a nurse practitioner at a GP surgery.
Mrs Hudson denied that she wrongly received and retained payment for study leave. She was not granted payments for the purpose of attending the conference when she did not attend. Yet she wrongly submitted expenses claims for those dates. In total, Mrs Hudson claimed for £70.15 in travel and subsistence expenses, while she would have received around £280 in paid leave.
Mrs Hudson also did not accept that, on October 20, 2022, in a meeting with a colleague, she incorrectly stated that she had a certificate of attendance for the conference, but had not brought it to the meeting.
However, the panel found both of the charges as proven, stating that attendance at the conference did not just mean entering into the venue, but also participating and actively engaging in lectures.
“Whilst the registrant had the intention of attending the conference and had done her best to do so, she did not attend with the capacity required,” said the panel.
Mrs Hudson had previously admitted another charge, that was also proven. This was that, on September 6, 2022, in a meeting with another colleague, she incorrectly stated she had attended one or more sessions at the relevant conference, and had a certificate of attendance, but it had been shredded.
The panel did conclude, however, that Mrs Hudson’s conduct was not dishonest. Members are now set to decide whether the facts that have been proved amount to misconduct and her fitness to practice is impaired.
“The NMC would expect registrants to be forthcoming and there is a question mark in my submission about how she may or could act in the same or similar position again,” said case presenter, Nazazish Choudhury.
“The NMC submits that this kind of conduct might or could re-occur if the registrant is placed under the same or similar kind of external stresses that she said she was under at the time.
“Nurses occupy a position of privilege and trust and are expected to be professional at all times, and maintain professional standards. Patients and their families are meant to trust nurses with their lives, and the lives of their loved ones.
“The testimonials do say she is a good nurse, but in my submission, there is not enough of an insight or a reflection that the registrant has given and how she would react in a similar way.
“In terms of public protection, the NMC says this is also engaged. This is not just about maintaining standards, but also about maintaining public confidence in the profession.
“The NMC submits that a finding of impairment is also necessary on public interest grounds. If there were no finding of impairment, the NMC says that public confidence would be undermined.”
However, Mrs Hudson believes her actions does not mean that her fitness to practice should be impaired.
“There were several issues going on at the time that this conference took place,” she said.
“It wasn’t just the issues within my working environment. It was completely out of character, and nothing like this has ever happened to me before in the past. I had never experienced the feelings that I had when I attended that conference.”
A nurse for 24 years
Mrs Hudson said she has been a nurse for 24 years and has worked in many different environments, including serving in the miltiary in Iraq and Afghanistan.
“I am very proud to be a nurse, I always have been and I think I always will be,” she said.
“I’m very much aware of my profession, and about how the public feel about us.”
According to Mrs Hudson, allowances had been made for some people in the past who had lost their receipts, but that was not the case for her.
“I had never done anything like this before, I was very meticulous with what I did and how I did it,” said Mrs Hudson.
“If they had offered it to other people why was that not available for me?”
Mrs Hudson went on to explain that she has a very supportive line manager in her current role She has also applied to be an advanced clinical practice nurse, which she says has the support of her employer, with funding provided by the Clinical Commissioning Group.
“As far as I’m aware, in my whole nursing career, there have never been any issues with regards to my professional, clinical practice,” said Mrs Hudson.
“I have never had any restrictions placed on me, I’ve never in front of the NMC before, or done fit to practice. I’ve allways kept on top of courses and learning.”
Mrs Hudson added that she has a box file to keep certificates in, as well as an email folder which she copies across to her personal address.
She said she loves her current job and “life is pretty good.”
“It makes a big difference when you have people at work who you can talk to daily and can chat about life things, not just work,” said Mrs Hudson.
“I do not believe my fitness to practice is imparied and I am very passionate about upholding the code, doing my job and being a nurse.”