Drug addicted nurse, 39, faces being struck off after snorting cocaine while on duty on a hospital ward
A mental health nurse who used cocaine while on duty and dealt the drug at St John’s Hospital in Livingston faces a Nursing and Midwifery Council misconduct hearing, which could result in her being struck off. Emma Sim, 39, admitted the offences and told the court she felt embarrassed and disgusted by her behaviour.
The court heard that Sim dealt cocaine for a year between 2023 and 2024 and snorted an unknown quantity in February 2024. She was given a 120-day curfew with electronic monitoring, an 18-month supervision order and 210 hours of unpaid community service, and must meet substance abuse services. The court said the offences met the threshold for prison but imposed no custodial sentence; the NMC has yet to decide whether she can continue nursing.
In short
- Nurse admitted using and dealing cocaine while working at a hospital.
- She received a curfew, supervision and unpaid community service.
- A professional misconduct hearing could bar her from nursing.
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
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The case for
Striking Sim off could be justified because patients must be able to trust nurses with their safety, and using and dealing cocaine at work represents a serious breach of that trust. A clear sanction may also reassure patients and staff that professional standards apply even when misconduct occurs in a pressured care setting.
The case against
A permanent removal from nursing may be disproportionate if Sim has accepted responsibility, completed her sentence and can demonstrate recovery and sustained fitness to practise. A measured sanction with safeguards or supervision could protect patients while recognising rehabilitation and avoiding the loss of a trained mental health nurse.
Explained simply
The Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) regulates nurses and midwives in the UK. It can investigate concerns about a nurse’s conduct and decide whether they are fit to remain on the professional register, which is required to practise.
The case concerns Emma Sim, a mental health nurse who worked at St John’s Hospital in Livingston. She admitted using and dealing cocaine, including using it while on duty, and received a community sentence from the court.
The NMC hearing is separate from the criminal case and will consider her professional conduct. It could result in conditions on her practice or her removal from the register; no decision has yet been made about whether she can continue nursing.