A HEALTH professional who stole a sedative drug and used a syringe to administer it to himself while on duty has been struck off the register.

Carl Green, an operating department practitioner, admitted the offence while on duty at Mount Vernon Hospital, in Rickmansworth Road, Northwood, after a nurse went looking for him and found the empty, used syringe on the toilet floor.

At a Health Professions Council hearing in London last Friday, which Green failed to attend, the panel heard about the events leading up to the offence at the hospital.

Matron of the Hillingdon Hospital NHS Trust, Bridgette Morris, who had been asked to conduct an investigation by the Trust, said that on August 23, 2006, Mr Green had returned to work from sick leave.

Jenny Bishop, a senior staff nurse, had reported his behaviour as 'strange'. He was slow, his behavior was inappropriate and he could not manage his workload.

He was later found asleep and had gone for a shower to wake himself up. He then left the department at around 1.45pm without permission and did not return until 3.30pm, when his eyes were glazed and he looked vacant and sluggish.

At one point the nurse went to look for him and a used syringe was found on the toilet floor.

Mr Green subsequently admitted to administering Propofol to himself. He was then dismissed.

During an interview at Uxbridge police station he admitted stealing the anaesthetic drug from the Trust and was given a caution.

He could not explain why he did it but admitted he had suffered with depression and said he was extremely remorseful and embarrassed.

At a later investigatory meeting he admitted he had been drinking the night before he returned to work and could not remember the events.