A mental health nurse in Ipswich has been struck off after making four of his patients wash his car as part of their "therapy".

Ian Brown, who worked at Foxhall House in Ipswich, was found to be in breach of multiple codes and put residents and members of the public at risk according to the Nursing and Midwifery Council. 

Foxhall House is run by the Norfolk and Suffolk Foundation Trust for offending men or men at risk of offending who have a mental illness and who require a low secure setting.

In August 2019, Mr Brown had taken four residents at Foxhall House out to wash his car.

A colleague of his recalled taking over from Mr Brown on the late shift, stating that there was "nothing to report that Mr Brown was taking patients out to wash his car" with Mr Brown stating it was "therapy".

The panel heard that only two of the four residents Mr Brown took to wash his car had permission to leave.

Mr Brown responded to the allegation by stating: "I believe it is more constructive to wash a car than sit outside smoking."

Mr Brown was also charged with not securing the house by using the airlock system, meaning a resident escaped from the building.

He also did not follow the safety plan when the family of a resident visited, allowing the family into a restricted area, through the security system and allowing the resident to leave without authorised leave approval.

Mr Brown had qualified as a nurse in February 2018, but colleagues and patients in his first job reported 'unprofessional behaviour'. He was then redeployed to Foxhall House in January 2019.

The panel concluded that Mr Brown's actions fell 'significantly short of the standards expected of a registered nurse and that Mr Brown's actions amounted to serious misconduct.'

Mr Brown has been struck-off the nurses register, after the panel stated it was the 'appropriate and proportionate' sanction.

An NSFT Spokesperson said: "There is nothing more important than the safety of the people under our care.

"Ian Brown let down his patients and his nursing profession and acted against the values of our Trust and the NHS.

"As a consequence of Mr Brown’s actions we made sure to follow the appropriate and necessary internal proceedings and Mr Brown was referred to the Nursing and Midwifery Council."