Nurse is struck off after issuing more than 1,800 prescriptions for high-risk drugs including codeine to family members over 18-YEAR period

• EXCLUSIVE: Carol Eaton-Davies also accessed medical records 2,100 times 

A nurse issued more than 1,800 prescriptions of high-risk drugs such as codeine and diazepam for herself and seven family members for more than 18 years – then quit her job when she was found out.

Carol Eaton-Davies had been working at Meddygfa Penygroes Surgery in Llanelli for 30 years when it was discovered she had been issuing drugs including addictive painkillers that, watchdogs say, could have left people with dependency problems.

It was only when an internal audit was carried out in October 2020 that the Carmarthenshire nurse – who was not qualified to prescribe drugs – was revealed to have been issuing prescriptions for seven relatives since 2002.

She had also been accessing medical records for the same seven relatives, plus another, over the course of 18 years, breaching confidentiality rules.

An internal investigation meeting was called on October 12 and Mrs Eaton-Davies promptly quit her job, which she had held since January 8 1990 – ending a 30-year career at the medical practice in disgrace.

Carol Eaton-Davies issued more than 1,800 prescriptions for herself and seven relatives over the course of 18 years

The nurse also accessed medical records for eight family members a total of 2,156 times

Carol Eaton-Davies worked at Meddygfa Penygroes Surgery in Carmarthenshire for more than 30 years before she quit

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A Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) fitness to practise hearing heard that the nurse accessed medical records for eight family members between October 2 2002 and October 12 2020 no less than 2,156 times – an average of once every three days. 

She also issued 1,397 repeat prescriptions that she was not authorised to issue, as well as 415 acute – non-regular – scripts while working for the NHS surgery, issuing them for seven relatives as well as herself.

The NMC was told that the medicines included codeine, diazepam and temazepam, all of which are addictive painkillers. 

She also dispensed epipens, which contain adrenaline – which can cause cardiac arrest if misused – and salazopyrin, an anti-inflammatory drug which must be monitored in its use because of the effects it has on the kidney and liver.

She dispensed all of the above as acute prescriptions, meaning that their suitability for her relatives had not been assessed by GPs or pharmacists for approval.

As a registered nurse, Mrs Eaton-Davies was permitted to prescribe medicines for patients on an approved clinical list – but nursing guidelines expressly state that nurses should ‘avoid prescribing for yourself or for anyone with whom you have a close personal relationship’.

During the hearing, the NMC heard from Dr Gillian Ellis-Williams, a senior partner and GP at the surgery, who told the panel that the prescriptions appeared to be in keeping with the health requirements and medical history of each patient.

She told the hearing that it was likely Mrs Eaton-Davies felt as though she was ‘acting in the best interests of her family by generating the prescriptions’ to ease the workloads of her colleagues.

But the NMC concluded that the nurse had put her loved ones at risk of ‘significant harm’ because of the potency of the drugs she was prescribing and the need to monitor their effects.

Mrs Eaton-Davies admitted the facts in full in June ahead of the hearing earlier this month.

The nurse told the NMC she had no intention to return to medical practice, and admitted that prescribing herself and her relatives drugs for 18 years without being qualified was a ‘stupid thing’ to do, for which there was ‘no excuse’.

She added that she had lost sight of the guidelines on nursing in trying to help her family, adding that she regretted the way in which her career came to an end.

The NMC, however, saw fit to strike her off as a precaution to prevent her from returning to practice, noting: ‘Mrs Eaton-Davies’ actions were significant departures from the standards expected of a registered nurse, and are fundamentally incompatible with her remaining on the register.

‘Mrs Eaton-Davies accessed the clinical records of eight patients without clinical justification, and generated repeat and acute prescriptions to these patients when not qualified to do so over a period of 18 years.

‘The panel concluded that this raised fundamental questions about Mrs Eaton-Davies’ trustworthiness and professionalism. 

‘Regardless of her intentions Mrs Eaton-Davies has breached confidentiality as well as privacy and undermined the prescription system, putting patients at a significant risk of unwarranted harm over a prolonged period of time.’

Mrs Eaton-Davies and Meddygfa Penygroes Surgery were contacted for comment.

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