CHILDREN were put at risk after being treated by a woman who was not qualified as a nurse.

Kathryn Ritchie worked at the Bank Street Clinic, in Alexandria, West Dunbartonshire, and Clydebank Health Centre for more than four years without a nursing qualification.

Health visitors raised the alarm, telling bosses they had "serious concerns" about her ability to perform child immunisations safely at the Clydebank centre.

When Mrs Ritchie, 54, a registered midwife, was approached about her nursing skills she went off sick for eight months.

NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde said today it had taken steps to ensure the mistake "does not occur again" after Mrs Ritchie was struck off the register after admitting the charges.

The Nursing and Midwifery Council said it was "fortuitous" that no harm had come to any children under her care.

Mrs Ritchie, 54, fradulently enrolled on a postgraduate course in public health nursing at the University of the West of Scotland where there is a requirement to hold a nursing qualification.

She also falsely claimed to have completed 450 hours practice as a midwife in order to retain her registration. She resigned from her post with NHSGGC on January 23, 2012.

And following a referral to the Nursing and Midwifery Council on February 26, 2012, it was discovered Mrs Ritchie has never been registered as a nurse, only as a midwife.

Mrs Ritchie worked at the Bank Street Clinic from ­October 2007 before being transferred to Clydebank Health Centre in early 2010.

She was later moved to an occupational health post but her work continued to fall "below the acceptable standard expected of a nurse".

NMC hearing papers state: "Mrs Ritchie had undertaken the duties of a registered nurse when she was not qualified to do so, and when she knew this to be the case.

"These duties had included the immunisation of children and the panel bore in mind the risk Mrs Ritchie caused to those children by practising without the required training and qualifications.

"It was purely fortuitous that no actual harm was caused to these patients."

A statement from NHSGGC said: "Since this case occurred we have taken steps to ensure that learnings have been taken forward to ensure this type of situation does not occur again.

"All managers who have responsibility for recruitment have been given training on our recruitment procedures which includes ensuring that nursing qualifications and registration are checked."