A Powys mental health nurse who swore at a colleague and told her he "absolutely detested her" has been struck off for misconduct.

A hearing of the Nursing and Midwifery Council(NMC) misconduct committee concluded that the actions of David Marc James were "significant departures from the standards expected of a registered nurse" when he confronted a medical secretary in her office then went on to use an inappropriate restraint technique on a patient.

The hearing was told that on May 16, 2017 James physically restrained a female patient during an incident that took place in the foyer of the Felindire ward of Bronllys Hospital, one of the main in-patient mental health units in Powys.

The panel heard that a patient on the ward had become aggressive and James, having earlier had an argument with a colleague, sought to restrain her alone, which is an inappropriate technique.

Witnesses described seeing James holding the patient around the upper chest/collar bone area.

Immediately prior to the incident, he had become involved in the dispute with a colleague in which he was said to have pointed his finger and shouted at her.

In an internal investigation interview held on July 13, 2018, James said: "I was so upset by what she had said, so I went back into the medical secretaries office and I said: 'I absolutely detest you'.

"I didn’t say anything about her belittling me in the past or saying things in the past.

"And then I just left and that’s when the incident later on then with the patient occurred."

During telephone calls between James and the panel, he described the investigation into his conduct as a "waste of money", and had become angry on the telephone.

The report concluded that James had shown a lack of insight and apparent disregard for the severity of his misconduct.

"The conduct, as highlighted by the facts found proved, was a significant departure from the standards expected of a registered nurse," the report concluded.

"The panel was of the view that the findings in this particular case demonstrate that Mr James’ actions were serious and to allow him to continue to practise would undermine public confidence in the profession and in the NMC as a regulatory body.

"The panel considered that this (striking off) order was necessary to mark the importance of maintaining public confidence in the profession, and to send to the public and the profession a clear message about the standards of behaviour required of a registered nurse."

The panel made an interim suspension order for a period of 18 months, after which James will be struck off the nursing register.