Nursing and Midwifery Council determination — substantive hearing

NMC orders Lynn Rowan struck off for abusive treatment of a vulnerable patient

All five particulars were proved. The panel found continuing impairment and imposed a separate interim suspension pending the substantive order taking effect.

MedicWatch editorial · Published 26 August 2026 · Updated 22 September 2026

Erasure (struck off the register)

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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 Lynn Rowan, nurse (Nursing and Midwifery Council 00I0368S).

Decision date: 26 August 2026 · Hearing started 18 August 2026 and ended 26 August 2026

In plain English

The NMC panel decided to strike Lynn Rowan off after proving five allegations of degrading and abusive treatment of a vulnerable patient, including slapping her hand. It found continuing impairment and insufficient insight or remediation. No specific physical injury was identified. A separate interim suspension protects the public during the appeal period before the striking-off order takes effect.

Charges

Five allegations concerned the treatment of a vulnerable patient during a night shift on 5 May 2024: derogatory remarks, shouting and mimicking, calling the patient a horrible woman, a threat about taking her to the mortuary, and slapping her hand or wrist while shouting at her.

Findings

All five particulars were proved and amounted individually and collectively to misconduct. The panel described a pattern of degrading and abusive treatment and found current impairment on public protection and public interest grounds. No specific physical injury was identified, but the conduct was harmful and created physical and psychological risks. Although potentially remediable, the misconduct had not been remedied; the panel found no meaningful insight or realistic prospect of sufficient remediation during suspension. It ordered striking off and a separate 18-month interim suspension. If there is no appeal, striking off replaces the interim order 28 days after written notice.

Mitigating factors

• Ms Rowan had no previous regulatory findings; • There was no evidence of similar conduct before the night in question; • Ms Rowan had provided testimonials and references; and • Ms Rowan made partial admissions, including accepting that she had slapped Patient A’s hand.

Aggravating factors

• Ms Rowan abused her position of trust and the imbalance of power between herself and Patient A; • Patient A was particularly vulnerable, lacked capacity and depended on staff for her care and protection; • Ms Rowan’s conduct placed Patient A at risk of physical and psychological harm; • Although the misconduct occurred during one shift, it comprised five separate incidents and demonstrated a pattern of degrading and abusive treatment; • Ms Rowan continued with Patient A’s care despite being offered opportunities to step away; • Ms Rowan demonstrated no meaningful insight into her misconduct and sought to minimise its impact; • Ms Rowan did not acknowledge at the time that her behaviour was inappropriate and did not report the incidents herself; • Ms Rowan attempted to deflect responsibility for her conduct; and • Ms Rowan’s engagement with the Trust investigation and the NMC proceedings was limited.

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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