A mental health nurse has been accused of engaging in sexual acts with a patient she cared for at Blackberry Hill Hospital in Fishponds.
Esther Tshuma is also charged with accepting gifts of cash and jewellery from the patient and requesting that the same patient assault her colleague.
In addition allegations have been made that Tshuma offering to supply cannabis and provide medications to patients that had not been prescribed to them.
Tshuma, who worked for Avon and Wiltshire Mental Health Trust, worked on the Bradley Brook Ward – a medium secure unit – at the hospital for more than six years between October 2007 and February 2014.
Blackberry Hill Hospital has purpose built facilities and provide inpatient mental health services for adults aged between 18 and 65.
She is currently facing a four day fitness to practice hearing at the Nursing and Midwifery Council in London.
The Trust confirmed that Tshuma is no longer employed by them but declined to comment further.
The Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) was established in 2002 and is the nursing and midwifery regulator for England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.
Its stated aim is to protect the health and wellbeing of the public and sets and reviews standards for nurse and midwife education, training, conduct and performance.
The NMC also investigates allegations of impaired fitness to practise.
If the panel decides that a nurse or midwife’s fitness to practise is impaired, there are a range of sanctions they can impose to protect the public, maintain public confidence in the professions and the NMC, and declare and uphold proper standards of conduct and performance.
The panel can choose to dismiss the allegations, caution or suspend the member of staff, or in the worst cases strike off the staff member from the register.
Both the NMC and the General Medical Council (GMC) have a “memorandum of understanding” with the police and are expected to bring certain offences to the attention of the Crown Prosecution Service for consideration
A spokesperson for the Avon and Wiltshire Mental Health Trust, said: “Esther Tshuma is no longer employed by the Trust.
“As the hearing is ongoing, we are unable to comment further.” Bristol Post
