A HOSPITAL nurse who was jailed for molesting female patients as they came round from serious surgery has been struck off from the profession.

Stephen Board, 66, sexually assaulted two women in the recovery room at Worthing Hospital as they recovered from an anaesthetic after undergoing serious operations.

He groped a third elderly patient at St Richard’s Hospital in Chichester as she was undergoing cataract surgery.

He was jailed for 12 years in September and branded a “pervert”.

Read more: Nurse who assulted patients under sedation is jailed

Now a panel has barred him from ever returning to nursing.

A report on the hearing said: “Mr Board caused actual harm to his patients by sexual assault and psychological trauma. His behaviour, which resulted in 12 years’ imprisonment and being placed on the sex offenders’ register, has brought the profession into disrepute.

“Further, he breached fundamental tenets of the profession in that he did not act with integrity or make the care of his patients his first concern.”

The panel concluded that there was “no evidence of any remediation”.

It said: “Mr Board pleaded not guilty and still maintains his innocence. The panel considered that this showed a lack of insight.

“Mr Board has not expressed remorse. The panel therefore concluded that Mr Board’s fitness to practise is currently impaired on the grounds of public protection.

“The panel also concluded that the need to uphold proper professional standards and public confidence in the profession and in the Nursing and Midwifery Council as regulator would be undermined if a finding of impairment of fitness to practise were not made in the circumstances of this case.

“In light of the above, the panel finds that Mr Board’s fitness to practise is currently impaired on the grounds of public protection and public interest, by reason of his conviction.”

The panel highlighted a number of aggravating features in this case, including:

A lack of evidence of insight and/or remorse

The conviction involves serious matters of sexual assault

The offence occurred in the workplace and constituted a gross abuse of trust

The abuse of trust involved targeting vulnerable patients

There was actual patient harm in the form of the psychological impact on the three patients

The risk of harm to the patient who could have been blinded was extremely serious.

They said the charges were “very serious” and there was a “risk of repetition”.

The panel concluded that Mr Board’s behaviour was a “serious departure from the relevant professional standards”.

“He acted in a way which caused actual harm to three patients.

“His actions were an abuse of power which violated those patients when they were in a weak and vulnerable position. Further Mr Board has shown a persistent lack of insight into the effect his behaviour has had on his patients, his colleagues and the wider nursing profession.”

It concluded: “A striking off order was the only sanction which is sufficient to protect the public.”