A NURSE who "cut and pasted" previous blood pressure readings and faked other test results has been struck off.

An investigation found that at least 25 patients were given the wrong test results by Margaret Harrison, former practice nurse at Ibroxholm Medical Centre.

She also recorded that a patient wished to die at home when no discussion had taken place.

The incidents happened between April and October 2012 at the surgery in Paisley Road West and the nurse was sacked two months later.

She will never be able to work as a nurse again after being struck off the register by the Nursing and Midwifery Council last week following 20 years in the profession.

The NMC said the nurse's actions were, "a clear abuse of the trust placed in her by her employer and the public".

Alarm bells rang after a patient called to make an appointment for a routine blood pressure check but was told that records showed it had already been done.

Ms Harrison admitted that she had "cut and pasted" the result from a previous consultation.

The practice carried out an audit of patients who had attended appointments with Ms Harrison and found that data had been recorded on dates when no patient contact had taken place.

Much of the data concer-ned patients' urine tests, blood pressure monitoring, weight monitoring and anxiety and depression questionnaires being falsified. The audit raised concerns about 25 patients.

An investigation was carried out by the practice manager and the nurse was dismissed for gross miscon-duct on December 13 2012.

She appealed but the decision was upheld.

A hearing by the NMC last Tuesday was told Ms Harrison has not been employed as a nurse since October 2012, and is now in full time employment outside nursing.

She registered as a nurse in 1992 when she was 39.

The hearing paper state: "Ms Harrison's actions had placed patients at a significant risk of harm.

"The panel concluded that the seriousness of this case is incompatible with ongoing registration."

The surgery declined to comment.

caroline.wilson@ eveningtimes.co.uk