A FORMER Darlington and Durham health visitor has been struck off after failing to tell authorities when a mother threatened to kill her five-week-old daughter.

Julie Fairless was told about the woman’s threats while working in the County Durham and Darlington community health services in 2010.

But she did not follow safeguarding rules or alert any senior members of staff.

The Nursing and Midwifery Council has now struck her off the register following a Fitness to Practice Committee.

Ms Fairless did not attend the hearing and was unrepresented.

She had been a registered nurse from 1979, and has also practised as a midwife, community nurse prescriber and a lecturer.

She is currently the subject of a suspension order but the panel at the hearing ruled that she should be struck off once the suspension comes to an end on February 21.

A report from the meeting said the there had been no contact from Ms Fairless since a review hearing of the suspension last year.

The panel found she had not made a safeguarding referral to senior staff, child protection or social services.

She also withheld information from the mother than the child was being cared for by the maternal grandmother.

Ms Fairless has not practised for seven years and her fitness to practice has been found to be impaired for the last five years.

Her current circumstances were not known.

In previous hearings Ms Fairless told the NMC that she should receive training but gave no evidence that she had taken any, the panel was told.

“The approach of Ms Fairless to these proceedings indicates a lack of insight,” the report on the findings of the panel said.

“Accordingly, in all the circumstances including the original misconduct, the lack of insight, the current lack of engagement, and Ms Fairless' failure to comply with previous conditions mean that there is no alternative but to suspend Ms Fairless from practice. “ “The panel considered that Ms Fairless has not demonstrated any evidence of insight, remorse or remediation, and that there remains a risk of her repeating her failings that were found proved at the original substantive hearing.

“Ms Fairless has not indicated any willingness to return to nursing at all.

“The panel was of the view that considerable evidence would be required to show that Ms Fairless no longer posed a risk to the public.”