Health and Care Professions Council determination — substantive hearing
HCPTS strikes Prina Karia off for theft and dishonesty
The hearing aid dispenser kept patient payments and falsified clinical records to conceal the thefts from her employer.
MedicWatch editorial · Published 30 January 2024 · 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 Prina Karia, hearing aid dispenser (Health and Care Professions Council HAD02970).
Decision date: 30 January 2024 · Hearing started 22 January 2024 and ended 30 January 2024
In plain English
The HCPTS panel struck hearing aid dispenser Prina Karia off after finding that she kept cash paid by five service users and falsified their records to hide the thefts. The false notes could have endangered future care. She showed no remorse, insight or relevant remediation, and the panel found a significant repetition risk.
Charges
Ms Karia took cash payments from five service users for ear-wax removal without passing the money to her employer, then made false patient records stating that no treatment had been performed and no payment was due.
Findings
The panel found that Ms Karia kept the payments and falsified clinical records to conceal the thefts. Her dishonesty was attitudinal, she had shown no remorse, insight or relevant remediation, and the false records could have put service users at risk. The conduct was fundamentally incompatible with registration, so the panel struck her off.
Mitigating and aggravating factors
Mitigating factors
Previously of good character with an unblemished record as a hearing aid dispenser and audiologist; practised under conditions without concerns; HCPC and character witnesses praised her clinical competence and manner in caring for patients.
Aggravating factors
Abused her position of trust to steal money from her employer; thefts took place over several months; falsified patient records to conceal the thefts; the falsification could put service users' health and safety at risk; showed no remorse, insight or relevant remediation.
Source
All facts on this page are drawn from the publicly published Health and Care Professions Council determination linked below. MedicWatch does not editorialise the regulator’s findings.
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