A nurse has been struck off after telling a patient that Covid vaccinations “caused your cancer”.<\/p>\n
Penny Senner was employed at Dorset Healthcare University NHS Foundation Trust when she made the comments, a Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) misconduct panel heard.<\/p>\n
It ruled Senner had attempted to undermine public confidence in public health advice with her actions – four out of six charges against her were found proven by the tribunal.<\/p>\n
Dawn Dawson, chief nursing officer at Dorset HealthCare, said: “As soon as we became aware of Ms Senner’s actions, she was immediately suspended.”<\/p>\n
‘Very vulnerable’<\/p>\n
The woman – refered to as Patient A – told the panel she saw Senner for a routine appointment in August 2023 when the topic of Covid jabs was broached in a “sly manner”.<\/p>\n
In a witness statement, she said: “She asked if I had been vaccinated, which I assumed was a routine inquiry.<\/p>\n
“I informed her that I had received the vaccinations and boosters. Senner said that ‘that’s what caused your cancer’.<\/p>\n
“Senner explicitly stated that the vaccines were the cause of my cancer and that this had been ‘hushed up’.”<\/p>\n
Patient A added that the nurse’s comments were not framed as a “suggestion or a possibility” but rather as a “direct and definitive claim”.<\/p>\n
“Her tone and choice of words left no room for interpretation. It was a clear and unequivocal statement,” she added.<\/p>\n
During cross examination, Senner’s legal representative, Niall McCrae asked: “If it were shown that the Covid-19 vaccines could raise the risk of cancer or quicken the progress of cancer, would that change your view of the exchange?”<\/p>\n
Patient A said no, because she was at a “very vulnerable state”.<\/p>\n
She said: “I was going through chemotherapy. I had no hair. I was having several medical appointments a week.<\/p>\n
“I did not need somebody to come in and basically tell me that I could have prevented my own disease.”<\/p>\n
‘Psychological harm’<\/p>\n
Responding to the allegations, Senner said she was “deeply sorry” to hear Patient A was upset, adding “this was certainly not my intention”.<\/p>\n
The nurse was also found to have accessed “numerous” patients’ records without authorisation or a legitimate clinical reason.<\/p>\n
The panel heard Senner began compiling a list of patients shortly after the Covid vaccines were rolled out, noting the reason for accessing records as “research”.<\/p>\n
The ruling said: “The panel acknowledged that Senner did not intend to harm Patient A, however, it considered that her misconduct caused lasting emotional and psychological harm.<\/p>\n
“Senner did not behave kindly or professionally during her interaction with Patient A and did not recognise or acknowledge Patient A’s vulnerability at the time.”<\/p>\n
The panel made an order to strike Senner off the nursing register with an interim suspension order of 18 months to allow her time to appeal.<\/p>\n
Dawson, from Dorset HealthCare, said: “We carried out an internal investigation, and her case was referred to the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC). Ms Senner no longer works for us.<\/p>\n
“The NHS delivers millions of vaccinations every year, which are an essential part of protecting the public against a range of serious illnesses.<\/p>\n
“It is also completely unacceptable for a member of staff to access patient records without authorisation or a legitimate clinical reason.<\/p>\n
“We welcome the NMC’s ruling in this case, and deeply regret the distress and worry experienced by the patient involved.”<\/p>\n
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