Nursing and Midwifery Council determination — substantive hearing
NMC panel strikes off Johanne Louise Walker over hoist transfer misconduct
The NMC has struck off nurse Johanne Louise Walker after finding misconduct in her decision to move a vulnerable resident along a corridor using a sling and hoist rather than a wheelchair.
MedicWatch editorial · Published 21 August 2026 · Updated 23 September 2026
Erasure (struck off the register)
Data last checked: 23 September 2026Report a correction
What does “struck off the register” mean?
The regulator directed removal from the register in this decision. The decision explains when the direction takes effect and any appeal provisions. Check the official register for the practitioner's current registration status.
Concerning Johanne Louise Walker, nurse (Nursing and Midwifery Council 93C0319E).
Decision date: 21 August 2026 · Hearing started 17 August 2026 and ended 21 August 2026
In plain English
The NMC's Fitness to Practise Committee found that Johanne Louise Walker committed misconduct by moving a vulnerable resident along a corridor in a sling and hoist instead of a wheelchair because she did not want to be spat at. The panel found her fitness to practise impaired and ordered that she be struck off the register.
Charges
The panel found that on 2 May 2022 Miss Walker moved Resident A along a corridor to their room using a sling and hoist rather than a wheelchair, and did so because she was not going to be spat at.
Findings
The panel found both charges proved and concluded that Miss Walker's actions fell seriously short of the standards expected of a registered nurse and amounted to misconduct. It found her fitness to practise currently impaired on public protection and public interest grounds and directed that she be struck off the register.
Mitigating and aggravating factors
Aggravating factors
Lack of compliance with training and policies which led to a breach of dignity and risk of harm; Miss Walker's inability to control her emotions towards Resident A; lack of insight, reflection, and remorse; clear evidence (via her own care plan documentation) that she understood the resident's needs and the resident's behaviour; help was offered by both Ms Thorpe and Ms Mann and she refused their help; very limited engagement with the fitness to practise process.
Source
All facts on this page are drawn from the publicly published Nursing and Midwifery Council determination linked below. MedicWatch does not editorialise the regulator’s findings.
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