Tribunal disqualifies former nurse for six months

25 Feb 2020

A tribunal has disqualified a former nurse from applying for registration for six months following criminal convictions concerning drug trafficking.

On 16 October 2015, police in Perth stopped and searched registered nurse Mr Peter David Hide’s car and found illicit drugs and drug paraphernalia, including over 60 grams of methylamphetamine.

Mr Hide’s registration as a nurse lapsed in July 2016 and he has not been registered since that time.

On 3 November 2017, Mr Hide pleaded guilty and was convicted by the District Court of Western Australia of possession of a prohibited drug with intent to sell or supply and was sentenced to three years imprisonment.

On 9 February 2018, the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (NMBA) referred Mr Hide to the State Administrative Tribunal of Western Australia (the tribunal). Mr Hide did not make submissions to the tribunal during proceedings.

On 7 October 2019, the tribunal found that Mr Hide had behaved in a way that constitutes professional misconduct, reprimanded him and disqualified him from applying for registration with the NMBA for a period of six months. The tribunal stated that Mr Hide’s criminal convictions for serious drug offences diminished the community’s trust and confidence in the nursing profession.

The decision is published on the e-Courts website.