NHS nurse at South London hospital created 'toxic environment' by groping and harassing women
A Bromley nurse has been struck off after sexually harassing five colleagues, a recent hearing from the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) has found. The nurse was said to have created a toxic working environment as a result of his 'deplorable' behaviour.
Niyi Sunday Okegbola had been referred to the NMC in April 2022 while he was working at Bethlem Royal Hospital in Beckenham as a deputy site nurse. This was a result of a series of allegations against the nurse which included sexual assault towards other members of staff.
The nurse reportedly grabbed the breasts of a colleague and pulled them towards his body in one incident. He was also found to have hugged several colleagues, who claimed in their statements that he would often make inappropriate comments and speak in a provocative voice.
READ MORE: Elizabeth line station could have 228 homes built next to it in 25-storey tower block
One colleague said in their statement: "The registrant would say inappropriate and suggestive things to me quite regularly. He would say things like, 'You're a bad girl', 'You're naughty' and 'Have you got something for me?' I would often just ignore the comments or tell him to stop or shut up in a joking way so I didn't anger him."
Another colleague said she did not want to be left in a room with Mr Okegbola while he was working there and it appeared as if other nurses on the ward were fine with his behaviour. Numerous incidents followed, including an occasion where he rubbed a colleague's leg, it is alleged.
The panel also found that Mr Okegbola had groped the same colleague a month later and pulled them against his penis, ignoring her requests to be let go. He also reportedly made a comment about a 14-year-old patient who had been difficult to restrain due to her strength.
The report said: "[Mr Okegbola] spoke to Person D about a 14-year-old female patient, using words to the effect, 'She is the type of girl you think you can approach and rape but would turn around and kill the man because of her strength'."
The hearing panel found the evidence provided from the individuals to be reliable and that the majority of Mr Okegbola's actions were sexually motivated. The panel added that they felt members of the public would be less likely to seek medical treatment if they felt healthcare professionals were being distracted by a toxic working environment due to unwanted behaviour of a sexual nature.
The presenter of the case said: "The conduct in this case was wholly at odds with the expected standards of conduct and behaviour as set out in the [NMC] Code. The registrant's behaviour was, plainly, deplorable in nature and has no role or place within any healthcare setting. All of the complainants in this case were entitled to practise in an environment that was entirely free from the type of behaviour that the registrant engaged in over a protracted period."
The panel decided to strike off Mr Okegbola from the NMC register, stating that the repeated misconduct had resulted in emotional harm and that the nurse had very limited insight into his failings. A spokesperson for the South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, which manages services at Bethlem Royal Hospital, informed the Local Democracy Reporting Service that Mr Okegbola resigned from the hospital before the outcome of the hearing was announced.
They said: "The actions of Niyi Sunday Okegbola are abhorrent and have no place within the NHS. We took immediate action by suspending Mr Okegbola, as soon as these allegations came to our attention. We referred Mr Okegbola to the Nursing and Midwifery Council and the Disclosure and Barring Service in line with our safeguarding policies. Mr Okegbola is no longer an employee of the trust and we are strongly in support of the decision the NMC have made in issuing a striking-off order."
Have a story you want to share? Email joseph.coughlan@reachplc.com.
Don't miss out on the biggest local stories. Sign up to our MySouthLondon newsletter HERE for all the latest daily news and more.