A NURSE who told colleagues, "I do not mix business with pleasure" when he was asked to put a catheter into an elderly woman has been suspended.

Derek Steel, who worked at Rawyards House Care Home in Airdrie, North Lanarkshire, also put his hand down a female colleague's trousers.

He failed to cover a elderly resident with a towel when giving her a bed bath.

He also told another colleague, "she must not be getting enough sex at home."

The Nursing and Midwifery Council said the nurse had, "brought the nursing profession into disrepute".

The incidents happened on unknown dates prior to July 2010 at the nursing home which looks after 97 elderly residents, some with dementia and Alzheimers.

The nurse was found guilty of five charges of misconduct at a hearing by the Nursing and Midwifery Council and given a 2-year Conditions of Practice Order in December 2012.

During the hearing it emerged that he had also worked as a bank nurse at several Scottish hospitals.

A further NMC hearing was called on June 4 to review the sanction.

This panel noted that since the order was imposed at the earlier hearing the nurse had not engaged with this NMC process.

They said that a conditions of practice order was no longer sufficient to protect patients and the public interest.

A 12-month suspension order was imposed which will be reviewed before the order expires in June 2016.

The panel said: "The panel was satisfied that such an action is no longer appropriate. Mr Steel has not demonstrated any compliance with the previous conditions and has shown a complete

lack of engagement since the order was originally imposed.

"A suspension for a period of 12 months is appropriate and proportionate to protect patients and uphold confidence in the profession and the NMC as regulator."