Pay me with your body - Nurse struck off for sexual harassing & bullying colleagues at Fylde coast care homes

A male Fylde coast nurse has been struck off for sexual harassment, bullying and breaching professional boundaries with female colleagues at two care homes.

Steven Wenman, a registered nurse who worked as a deputy manager at two care homes in Poulton and Cleveleys, was removed from the nursing register by the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) Fitness to Practise Committee after a virtual hearing last month.

The panel heard Wenman made unwanted and flirtatious remarks to colleagues, even saying to one female staff member when making a cup of coffee, “It won’t be as good as I made you in bed this morning”.

The panel found Wenman's fitness to practise was impaired and imposed a striking-off order, along with an interim 18-month suspension order pending any appeal.

The committee said the charges firstly arose whilst he was employed as a registered nurse by Alexandra Care Home in Poulton-le-Fylde, where he was employed as a Deputy Manager from March 2023 until September 2023, but also involved his conduct at Nightingales Care Home in Cleveleys.

The Fitness to Practise Committee report said: “It is alleged that concerns were raised about your conduct and professionalism within this role (at Alexandra Care Home) to Ms Sarah Fowler.

“It is alleged that you sent inappropriate messages to Colleague A that breached professional boundaries in that they were sent outside of working hours and were flirtatious or sexual in nature.

“It is further alleged that an investigation meeting was held which was attended by both you and Ms Fowler. During this meeting, it is alleged that you accepted sending these 17 messages but denied that there was any sexual motivation or malice.

“It is alleged that during this meeting, you stated that you considered Colleague A to be like a daughter to you, but that she did not have any face piercings.

“On 25 September 2023, a disciplinary hearing was held, attended by you and your representative, and chaired by Ms Kerry Howell who was the home manager.

“It is alleged that during this hearing, you accepted that you sent the text messages to Colleague A and that the alleged comment you made about face piercing may be considered as judgmental. You denied that this created a degrading or offensive or humiliating environment, or that the comments had a sexual motivation behind them.

“On 15 October 2023, you started working at the Nightingale Care Home (‘Nightingale’) initially as a clinical lead.

“You were later promoted to Deputy Manager on 1 April 2024. It is alleged that you told Ms Carole Harrison, the Home Manager at Nightingales, that you were dismissed from your previous employment. It is alleged that you characterised your dismissal as being for trying to help someone.

“It is alleged that during your employment at Nightingale, concerns were raised in relation to your conduct and professionalism towards female colleagues.

“Colleague C was asked about your treatment of her, and what she had witnessed towards other colleagues. It is alleged that you sent messages to Colleague C that were inappropriate and made Colleague C feel uncomfortable.

“It is further alleged that Colleague C raised concerns about your conduct towards Colleague B, which she suggested was bullying.

“It is alleged that during the investigation at Nightingale, Colleague D was interviewed and disclosed that you interacted with her in a jovial and jokey manner. However, it is alleged that the nature of the comments, the disparity in your seniority with these colleagues and in the full context of these allegations, give rise to the concerns.”

During the two week virtual Fitness to Practise Committee hearing Wenman was proven to have used suggestive and/or flirtatious language, ignored specific colleagues, sent inappropriate and unwanted text messages of a sexual nature as well as violating a colleague’s dignity and/or creating and intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating or offensive environment.

The committee said in light of the findings, Wenman’s fitness to practise was impaired by reason of misconduct.

The panel was told Wenman told a colleague that she “can pay me with your body,” and “I found the secret message that you left on your desk for me, Just tell me where and when.”

On former colleague told the panel: “I do think he (Wenman) is a fantastic nurse, but he is too flirty, and I am unsure given the chance whether he would take up the opportunity […] He invited me out on a staff night out, but I don’t trust him as I am unsure if he is joking or not.”

During his evidence Wenman made it clear to the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) Fitness to Practise Committee that he does not wish to return to nursing.

Concluding the committee said: “Nurses occupy a position of privilege and trust in society and are expected at all times to be professional and to maintain professional boundaries. Patients and their families must be able to trust nurses with their lives and the lives of their loved ones. They must make sure that their conduct at all times justifies both their patients’ and the public’s trust in the profession

It added: “The panel has considered this case very carefully and has decided to make a striking-off order. It directs the registrar to strike Mr Wenman off the register.

“The panel considered that Mr Wenman’s actions were not at the lower end of the spectrum, and it found that there is a risk to public safety, as colleagues are deemed members of the public.

“The panel noted that the concerns relate to sexual misconduct and bullying in the workplace, and these concerns are attitudinal in nature. The panel also noted that there has been significant time that has passed since the charges arose, and Mr Wenman has failed to adequately demonstrate insight, reflection or undertake remediation.

“Having regard to the effect of Mr Wenman’s actions in bringing the profession into disrepute by adversely affecting the public’s view of how a registered nurse should conduct himself, the panel has concluded that nothing short of this would be sufficient in this case.

“The panel considered that this order was necessary to mark the importance of maintaining public confidence in the profession, and to send to the public and the profession a clear message about the standard of behaviour required of a registered nurse.”