A MIDWIFE who admitted “errors” when filling out time sheets was found guilty of four charges.
Gaynor Samantha Thomas, 49, of Sir Charles Crescent, Newport, was found guilty of filling out time sheets claiming to be on call to junior midwives for the Aneurin Bevan Health Board, between June 2011 and January 2012, when she was actually working at Millview House and Lodge Care Home in Newbridge.
The charge of using her company Blackberry to talk to family and friends, totalling 3,396 minutes, over the course of 11 months was dropped.
As were charges of claiming hours and mileage that she was wasn’t entitled to while on secondment to the University of Wales in Cardiff.
At Abergavenny Magistrates Court, District Judge David Parsons, found Thomas guilty of claiming leave when she was working.
He said: “There is an enormous sadness that someone who has given so many hours to the NHS and worked so hard has found herself here now.”
The mother of two explained that errors had occurred while she had been holding down three jobs with the health board, care home and Cardiff University, but denies that she intended to make personal gain.
Thomas, who earned £34,500 a year, explained to the court that she was “horrified” when she realised the errors and blames her traumatic marriage breakdown for her poor record keeping.
Judge Parsons said: “You were the breadwinner towards the end of your marriage with two teenage children.
“Work took a damaging effect on your health and it seriously impacted your judgment.”
He explained that he had taken into account her mental health at the time and that she had been recognised professionally through promotion.
But he described her transaction of claiming time on call when she wasn’t available for those hours as she was be on shift at the care home as “dishonest”.
The court heard from witness, Katherin Graeves, who worked alongside Thomas, who explained that it was common practise for staff to ask colleagues to cover hours for them when they weren’t available.
She said that she had “probably” covered hours for Thomas, as it was common practise among all staff if they had something that they wanted to do.
But when asked if she would cover for a couple of hours while a colleague undertook a second job, she replied: “I don’t think I would.”
The case will resume on September 13 at Abergavenny Magistrate Court for sentencing.
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