Nursing and Midwifery Council determination — substantive hearing

Suspended from practice — 6 months

The regulator’s term: suspension

What does “suspended from practice” mean?

A suspension is a fixed-term pause on the right to practise. The practitioner cannot work in the regulated profession during the suspension. At the end of the period the suspension may be extended, replaced with another sanction, or lifted on review.

Concerning Andrew Paul Henson, nurse (Nursing and Midwifery Council 94I1069E).

Decision date: 11 March 2026 · Hearing started 4 November 2025 and ended 11 March 2026

In plain English

The NMC's Fitness to Practise Committee found that Mr Henson, an adult nurse, made sexually motivated comments and engaged in harassing conduct towards two female colleagues, including locking an office door and trying to kiss one colleague after suggesting she meet him about training. The panel found his fitness to practise impaired by misconduct and imposed a six-month suspension order. No interim order was imposed because the panel concluded the risk of repetition was low.

Charges

Charges concerned conduct toward two female colleagues at his workplace. In relation to Colleague D, that he made comments about her body in 2018 and 2020. In relation to Colleague A, that he asked about her favourite sex position, said he was not getting any sex at home, removed his wedding ring and said he was no longer married, and on 26 March 2021 invited her to a meeting under the pretext of mandatory training, locked the office door, said "this is how you will get on to the critical care course" while touching her, massaged her shoulders, placed his hand on her leg and tried to kiss her. Further charges alleged that the conduct was unprofessional, breached professional boundaries, was sexually motivated, and amounted to harassment.

Findings

The panel found Charges 1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 4, 5a, 5b, 5c(I), 5c(II), 6a, 6b, 6c, 6d(I), 6d(II), 6d(IV), 6d(V), 6d(VI), 7a, 7b, 8, 9, 10a, 10b, 10c(I) and 10c(II) proved. Charges 3 and 6d(III) were not proved. The panel determined the proved facts amounted to misconduct and that Mr Henson's fitness to practise is currently impaired on public interest grounds. It imposed a suspension order for a period of six months. No interim order was imposed because the panel was satisfied the risk of repetition was low.

Mitigating factors

Practising professionally since the incidents; early admission of some facts; apologised to Colleague A soon after the event; efforts to prevent similar things happening again; undertook relevant and targeted training courses; developing insight through reflective accounts and discussions with colleagues about what happened; evidence of keeping up to date with his area of practice.

Aggravating factors

Sexual harassment towards colleagues; abuse of position of trust and power; misconduct over a period of four years with two colleagues.

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.

Spot something incorrect?

If a fact on this page is wrong, or you believe the page should not be published, please submit a correction or takedown request.