A NURSE who wrongly claimed nearly £8,5000 in sick pay - while working shifts at an East Lancashire care home - has been struck off by her professional watchdog.

Bosses at Lancashire Care NHS Foundation Trust were told by Madeline Abdilla, who was employed at Balladen House in Rawtenstall, that she was too unwell to work.

But between June and December 2016 she had been employed by Church View nursing home in Accrington, a Nursing and Midwifery Council disciplinary panel heard.

When the matter came to light the nurse, who was a qualified specialist practitioner, made full admissions to her employers, the fitness to practice hearing was told.

She also conceded that she had worked at the same nursing home, when she had previously claimed to be ill, during April, July and November 2015, and that she had lied to her line manager during a return to work interview.

Later Abdilla was arrested and charged with fraud, which lead to her being convicted last December by Greater Manchester Magistrates Court.

She was given a six-month prison sentence, suspended for two years, and ordered to pay £8,500 in compensation.

Abdilla, who had no previous disciplinary matters on her record, was not present or represented at the London hearing.

Panel chairman David Newman said: "Mrs Abdilla’s conviction reflects a significant period of sustained dishonesty, of approximately six months, committed in breach of trust.

"The dishonesty did not relate to her clinical practice but was nonetheless related to her employment as a registered nurse.

"The fraud was premeditated, systematic and longstanding. It resulted in a significant financial gain to Mrs Abdilla.

"Such dishonesty breaches a fundamental tenet of the profession and is liable to bring the profession into disrepute.

"The panel considered that Mrs Abdilla has displayed limited insight by making full admissions and pleading guilty to the criminal charge.

"However, she has demonstrated no other evidence of insight or remediation.

"In those circumstances, the panel found that Mrs Abdilla’s extensive dishonesty represented a significant risk to patients because the panel could have no confidence she would not betray their trust in her."

The panel ruled that she should be struck off and imposed an 18-month interim suspension order, pending any possible appeal by the nurse.