A nursing associate working in Slough has been struck off after grooming a vulnerable young patient with inappropriate messages and physical contact.

Peter McLean, who worked in Slough, told a patient he loved them and asked them to marry him, a Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) hearing was told.

The NMC found that Mr McLean’s messages were ‘sexually motivated in that you sought to pursue a future sexual relationship’ with the patient.

Mr McLean was charged with exchanging phone numbers with the patient some time between March and June 2022. He then sent them a series of messages including ‘Love you x’ and ‘Marry me!?’

In another message he said: “I’ve just realised, I’m wearing your mask which means I’ve now touched your lips and inhaled your breath.”

And he asked the patient ‘not to say anything out loud when I text’ as he didn’t want anyone ‘clocking on’ that they were texting, and asked the patient to delete their messages.

Mr McLean also allowed the patient to be given cider at a birthday party as well as hugging him, tickling him, and stroking his leg.

The Nursing and Midwifery Council’s fitness to practise committee was held between July 25 and August 1. Mr McLean did not attend the hearing, saying he no longer wished to pursue his career.

The committee said Mr McLean exchanged numbers with the patient ‘to pursue a future relationship with them’ and that the messages he sent ‘were to groom them’.

It said that Mr McLean hugged, tickled and stroked the patient’s leg ‘with a view to pursuing a sexual relationship’. It also said that by agreeing that the patient could drink cider at a party, Mr McLean ‘was attempting to gain favour with Patient A in order to groom them’.

The patient had got permission from the hospital to attend a family member’s birthday party accompanied by two hospital staff members. The patient had asked if they could have cider, and Mr McLean agreed as long as the drink was in a cup so the other staff member wouldn’t see.

Mr McLean also allowed himself to be photographed with the patient and their family at this event, which the committee said was inappropriate.

The committee also heard that the patient became ‘confused and distressed’ when Mr McLean then asked them to delete their messages.

Its report says: “The panel took into consideration that Patient A was a vulnerable young person at the material time when Mr Mclean asked Patient A to delete the messages between them.

“Patient A was distressed by what happened and, on their mother’s account, found the whole relationship with Mr Mclean to be confusing and unsettling.

“The panel was of the view that by Mr Mclean manipulated Patient A to ensure his conduct was concealed and he did this to protect his own interests.” It said he showed a ‘lack of remorse'.

The panel ruled that Mr McLean had ‘exploited a very vulnerable young person and their family’ and would ‘be viewed by the general public as deplorable’. It agreed that he should be struck off.