A nurse from Merseyside who received nearly £6,000 in sick pay from an NHS trust while secretly working elsewhere has described her actions as a “harmless mistake.”
Lian Kenny, who was employed by North West Care NHS Foundation Trust, which later merged with Mersey Care, drew sick pay between August 2020 and October 2021. During this time, she was also working at Bridgewater Community Healthcare NHS Trust despite claiming to be unfit for work.
At a hearing by the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC), it was revealed that Mrs. Kenny, who had been registered since September 2015, admitted to the NMC’s charges against her during a hearing held in her absence. She expressed deep regret for her error in judgment.
Mrs. Kenny served as a community nurse team leader at the Trust from December 11, 2018, to October 31, 2021. Following a meeting earlier this month, Maria Tyson, the head of nursing at Mersey Care, reported the incident to the NMC in November 2021.
The report stated that Mrs. Kenny was simultaneously employed by Mersey Care and Bridgewater Community Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust through an agency. It was brought to light in September 2021 when a colleague noticed her working at Bridgewater while on sick leave.
An internal audit conducted by Mersey Internal Audit Agency (MIAA) found that Mrs. Kenny had received sick pay amounting to £5,993.51 from the Trust. Despite this, criminal charges were not recommended as the overpayment was considered minor and refundable.
Mrs. Kenny admitted to the NMC that accepting sick pay while working elsewhere for personal gain was dishonest and fell below the expected standards of a registered nurse. She repaid the full amount to Mersey Care, showing genuine remorse and understanding of her actions.
Acknowledging her mistake, Mrs. Kenny underwent a period of reflection and expressed her commitment to upholding professional standards. She was suspended from nursing for six months but is expected to resume practice on October 27, with both parties agreeing that the likelihood of a recurrence is low.