A nurse plotted to make false sexual allegations against a whistleblowing colleague as "revenge" for reporting her for abusing people in her care.

Ruxandra Sarbut hatched the plan to falsely accuse a colleague of sexually abusing her, after suspecting him of alerting managers to her behaviour.

The plot emerged at a Nursing and Midwifery Conduct hearing, which investigated the allegations against her and removed from the nursing register.

The panel was told that Miss Sarbut, who worked at Buckingham Lodge nursing home in Carbrooke, learned she was being investigated by managers over a series of claims of abuse against vulnerable residents.

Upon being informed of the probe, she came up with a plan to fabricate allegations of sexual misconduct against a male colleague she suspected had reported her.

The panel was told she had revealed her plan during an exchange with another colleague after being told she was being investigated.

The colleague told the panel Miss Sarbut had said: "If I find out it's them I will tell management they touched my bum."

When challenged on this plan, Miss Sarbut responded: "So?"

The colleague added: "I reiterated that she could not make up a false allegation and she said 'duh, I can'."

The colleague went on to report this exchange immediately to their line manager.

Alongside the false allegation plot, the panel also found a host of other charges against Miss Sarbut proven.

These included:

  • Verbally abusing vulnerable residents, including calling one a "f**king stupid man"
  • Commenting that residents were "only at the home to die"
  • Shouting at colleagues and snatching equipment

The probe, however, found allegations that she had physical abused residents by pushing, grabbing and shaking them were unproven.

The panel said Miss Sarbut's conduct "amounted to premeditated dishonesty and sought to victimise a perceived whistleblower".

Following the hearing, Miss Sarbut was given an interim 18 month suspension from the NMC register - which will see her struck off if she does not appeal within 28 days.

A spokesman for Kingsley Healthcare, which runs the home, said: "We are satisfied that the right outcome has been reached thanks to our robust investigation and the reporting of its conclusions to the NMC.”

The NMC hearing related to incidents which occurred between November 2022 and February 2023 - Miss Sarbut has not worked at the home since this period.