Nurse accused of faking qualifications

AN ASIAN-ORIGIN woman is facing trial for lying about her educational qualifications and experience to get a top nursing job, according to media reports.

Tanya Nasir from Rickmansworth, Hertfordshire, was accused of lying and providing misleading information in her CV to get appointed as a senior nurse to manage the sick and premature babies unit at the Princess of Wales Hospital in Bridgend, in Wales.

The Cardiff Crown Court heard that the 45-year-old accused also claimed she had served in the Army, and was shot at while being posted in Afghanistan.

Nasir faces nine counts of fraud, and denies all the charges.

Prosecuting, Emma Harris told the jury that vulnerable newborn babies were put at risk under Nasir's care.

The jury was told the role required substantial experience caring for newborn babies, and involved acting as an expert resource for the neonatal nursing team.

The court heard Nasir was the ward manager on the neonatal unit from September 2019 until February 7, 2020, when the health board of the Cwm Taf Morgannwg University suspended her.

When Nasi underwent a routine three-yearly revalidation of her nursing and midwifery council registration in January 2020, her line manager Sian Townsend found many inconsistencies in her CV, and began an investigation.

Nasir resigned two days before she was due to appear before a disciplinary panel in November 2021.

The investigation had unravelled many of the false claims she had made in her CV regarding work experience.

She claimed to have worked with premature babies at the Chelsea and Westminster Hospital in London between 2010 and 2015. The court heard there was no record of her being employed there.

Nasir claimed to have been employed with the West Hertfordshire Hospitals Trust between 2004 and 2007 and worked as a nurse in the adult intensive care unit at Watford General Hospital.

The human resource departments of these hospitals denied employing her in any capacity.

Nasir also claimed to have been an operating department assistant, a role that requires one to register with the Health and Care Professionals Council.

However, the council confirmed they have no record in her name.

Harris also pointed out that Nasir had provided misleading information on her application forms at Cwm Taf Morgannwg and for two applications to Hillingdon Hospital in London.

She said Nasir had mentioned the degrees and qualifications she does not hold and experience which she did not obtain.

Education

The court was told that while Nasir was studying for a diploma in Higher Nursing Education from Buckinghamshire New University in 2010, she was convicted of four counts of social security benefit fraud at West Hertfordshire Magistrates' Court.

The convictions were reported in local media and were spotted by university staff.

Buckinghamshire New University senior registrar Sabir Bashir told the court on Thursday that there was no record of Nasir completing the infant life support course she claimed to have taken.

He also disputed Nasir's claim to have qualified as a nurse in 2010 at the same university. Bashir said she completed the Diploma of Higher Education in nursing in 2014.

She worked as a staff nurse assistant at the Hillingdon Hospital in London from February 2013 until October 2015.

When applying for the post, one of the references given was from Maj Matthew Nash-Yearwood, Commanding Officer with the Territorial Army.

The court was told although Maj Nash-Yearwood knew Nasir, he was never approached to provide a reference. Moreover, she provided a false email address of the major.

The court heard Nasir had joined the Army Reserve Cadet force but was discharged and struck off in May 2016.

The trial is ongoing and expected to last for a month.