A Cumbrian charge nurse who forged hospital colleagues’ signatures as he stole morphine to self-medicate a back problem has been sentenced by a court.
Carlisle magistrates heard today how Michael Henry Kennedy’s three decades of service to the NHS ended in disgrace last summer.
On July 18 last year, a clinical director of a pharmacy at Carlisle’s Cumberland Infirmary reported to police that a member of staff had been stealing morphine.
That was 54-year-old Kennedy, a charge nurse on the Willow C ward who worked in the coronary care unit.
“The allegation being that Mr Kennedy was forging other colleagues’ signatures in order to sign drugs out,” said prosecutor George Shelley. Kennedy had also falsely indicated that certain patients required morphine when they did not.
An investigation was launched and, when arrested and interviewed, Kennedy made full and frank admissions that he had been stealing morphine for around six to seven months before the matter came to light.
Kennedy explained that he had been self-medicating having suffered from a back problem for years. Low doses had increased and made him “feel good”, the court heard.
A man of previous good character, Kennedy admitted two offences: theft by employee and fraud having falsified the names of doctors and staff as the drugs cabinet book was countersigned.
Jeff Smith, defending, said Kennedy had worked mostly in Carlisle during 30 years’ dedicated NHS service.
His back problem should have resulted in him taking time off from his employment and recovering. But the healthcare environment in which he worked was pressurised, busy and there were staff shortages, meaning he prioritised the NHS and patients over his own medical condition .
Kennedy had acted “foolishly” to commit theft and fraud “because he was not able to carry on with the problem that he had”, said Mr Smith. He had since retired, currently cared for his father, had sought professional assistance and no longer took any drugs.
“We all lose out as a consequence of what has happened, and no-one knows that more than Mr Kennedy,” added the solicitor. “It is a terribly sad end. It is an unhappy end to a career of contribution to the community.”
Magistrates imposed an 18-month community order. Kennedy, of Southwaite Road, Low Hesket, must also complete 200 hours’ unpaid work.
