Nursing and Midwifery Council determination — substantive hearing

NMC ordered Rossitsa Petkova's striking off over treatment of care-home residents

The panel found serious misconduct and insufficient insight. Several allegations were dismissed, and one proved allegation did not amount to misconduct. An interim suspension covers the appeal period.

MedicWatch editorial · Published 4 September 2026 · Updated 22 September 2026

Erasure (struck off the register)

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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 Rossitsa Petkova, nurse (Nursing and Midwifery Council 08E0039C).

Decision date: 4 September 2026 · Hearing started 2 March 2026 and ended 4 September 2026

In plain English

The NMC ordered Rossitsa Petkova's striking off after finding misconduct involving demeaning and threatening treatment of vulnerable residents, pushing a resident and shouting at a colleague. Five allegations had no case to answer, two were not proved, and another proved allegation was not misconduct. Despite positive testimonials, the panel found no insight or remediation and imposed interim suspension pending the appeal period.

Charges

The allegations concerned treatment of vulnerable care-home residents and colleagues between January and October 2023, including shouting, threatening remarks, pushing a resident and failures concerning care and cooperation. Five allegations had no case to answer; allegations of denying a food choice and providing an inappropriate food texture were not proved. All charges were denied.

Findings

The panel found misconduct involving demeaning or threatening remarks to vulnerable residents, shouting, pushing one resident into an armchair and shouting at a junior colleague. It found emotional and psychological harm and a risk of physical harm. Five allegations had no case to answer and two were not proved; a further proved allegation of raising her voice did not amount to misconduct. The panel acknowledged her long nursing career and positive testimonials but found no insight or remediation, entrenched attitudinal concerns and a high risk of repetition. It found impaired fitness to practise and ordered striking off, with an 18-month interim suspension pending the appeal period and any appeal.

Mitigating factors

• Ms Petkova’s long career as a nurse

Aggravating factors

• Conduct which deliberately or recklessly put vulnerable patients receiving care at risk of suffering psychological and physical harm • Multiple breaches of the Code • The misconduct occurred in a clinical setting designed to be a safe and caring environment for vulnerable, elderly patients • A pattern of misconduct over a period of ten months involving multiple elderly and frail patients suffering with dementia • Total absence of insight, remorse, strengthening of practice or reflection together with a stated intention to not do so • Refusal to attend stages 2 and 3 of the fitness to practise hearing without good reason • A wide-ranging disregard for the physical and mental wellbeing of vulnerable patients which included the use of threatening and intimidatory language • Intimidation and disrespect of junior colleagues • An entrenched deep-seated attitude of unkind behaviour towards vulnerable patients and work 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.

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