A nurse, Kimberley Finn, has been removed from her position for smuggling a phone into prison. Finn, who worked at HMP Durham on a temporary basis, received a suspended nine-month sentence after being caught passing a package to a prisoner for further distribution. The discovery of the phone, containing incriminating conversations about drugs and contraband, during a cell search at HMP Northumberland in August 2022, led to Finn’s exposure.
The individual who owned the phone was revealed to have attended school with Finn. The Nursing and Midwifery Council panel concluded that Finn’s actions brought the nursing profession into disrepute by participating significantly in a scheme to introduce prohibited items into a prison. While Finn admitted to the conspiracy in court, her jail term was suspended for 18 months with rehabilitation requirements.
Finn was part of a group of eight individuals involved in smuggling drugs into HMP Northumberland and HMP Durham, although she was not charged with drug-related offenses. Conversations retrieved from the phone included a message from Finn advising to delete chats to avoid detection.
Given Finn’s breach of trust and acknowledgment of the illegality of her actions, the panel deemed her impairment necessary to maintain public confidence in the nursing profession and uphold the required standards of conduct. Despite Finn’s guilty plea, early admissions, good character, and lack of harm to a patient, the panel deemed a striking off order as the appropriate response, considering it proportionate to the gravity of the offense and addressing public interest concerns.
As a result of the decision, Finn’s name has been removed from the Register, prohibiting her from practicing as a nursing associate, midwife, or registered nurse.
