Nurse faces crystal meth possession allegations

A nurse facing allegations relating to the possession of crystal meth ordered Sudafed using the names of a number of his colleagues, a disciplinary inquiry heard on Tuesday.

John Benedict Butalid de Lara (45) of Ballyfermot, who worked as a staff nurse at the Royal Hospital Donnybrook, Dublin, from 2003 until 2014, is facing allegations relating to the possession of crystal meth and of ordering Sudafed using several colleagues' names.

The ongoing disciplinary inquiry at the Nursing and Midwifery Board heard in December that an ingredient in Sudafed, pseudoephedrine, can be used in the making of crystal meth.

On Tuesday, clinical nurse manager Anne Dooley, who worked with Mr de Lara at the hospital for eight years, said she first heard about Mr de Lara ordering Sudafed in other people’s names when a healthcare assistant approached her about the matter.

Admission

Ms Dooley met with Mr de Lara on June 30th, 2013, to discuss the matter. Mr de Lara admitted he had ordered the medication in the healthcare assistant’s name, as he had wanted to send some Sudafed home to the

Philippines

.

A year later, in 2014, Ms Dooley was told of a newspaper article reporting that Mr de Lara had appeared in court over charges in relation to possession of crystal meth. “I was quite shocked,” said Ms Dooley.

Ms Dooley said she had never had an issue with Mr de Lara’s work performance. “John was a good nurse,” Ms Dooley told the inquiry.

Mr de Lara’s legal representative, barrister John McGuigan, told the inquiry his client admitted to ordering Sudafed in other people’s names, so as to send it to the Philippines. He said it was within the knowledge of the hospital that Sudafed had been ordered in at least two people’s names and it dealt with the issue.

Dr Katherine Patterson, the pharmacist for the Abbey Healthcare pharmacy in the hospital, told the inquiry that she became concerned about a spike in the number of orders for Sudafed in May 2013.

The inquiry continues on Friday.