GDC suspends dental nurse manager for verbally abusing staff
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- Published: Thursday, 16 April 2020 18:31
- Written by News Editor
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Dental nurse, Joanne Gauntlett, was found guilty at a GDC tribunal of four misconduct breaches, having verbally abused staff at Queen Alexandra Hospital, Portsmouth. She left staff in tears and scared to go to work including one she told ’social services will pick their child up from school’.
Joanne Gauntlett, a senior dental nurse at the hospital, repeatedly verbally abused junior colleagues by insulting them with ’derogatory’ comments. She also lashed out at them ’disproportionately’ for minor mistakes. The clinical manager, who was responsible for 24 staff, left colleagues scared to go into work, often reduced to tears and even suffered adverse health problems. But she has now been suspended following a tribunal hearing.
The case comes after an NHS investigation was launched In October 2017 after 10 written complaints were made against Gauntlett from junior colleagues. The GDC tribunal in London heard colleagues fled to the staff room in floods of tears having been verbally abused or unfairly criticised by her. A report of the tribunal also showed how would ’reverse decisions with no apparent reason for doing so’.
The GDC committee heard evidence from many of the witnesses of the significant effect this kind of behaviour had on staff wellbeing and morale. They were satisfied that the evidence they received demonstrated a pattern of Mrs Gauntlett failing to treat members of the dental team at the hospital with dignity and respect.’
Suspending Gauntlett for three months, the tribunal concluded: ’It was incumbent on you, in your position of authority, to treat people with dignity and respect. A number of colleagues spoke of how they were afraid to go into work under your management. The Committee also heard that certain members of staff were, on occasion, reduced to tears and suffered adverse health consequences as a result of your behaviour.’
She has resigned from her post, but no concerns were raised about her clinical care.
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