Nurse Who Misled Staff on Covid Tests Can Return to Work Under Conditions

Published 15 October 2026, 16:00

• A Nursing and Midwifery Council panel chaired by Oluwasola Falola gave Joanne Burchell a 12-month conditions of practice order.
• Burchell let Covid-positive staff work at Devon's Holmesley Nursing Home and binned a Public Health England offer of help.
• Her insight is 'still developing' and there remains 'a real risk of repetition', the panel found.

A nurse who told care home staff their positive Covid tests were negative during the pandemic can return to nursing practice under a 12-month conditions of practice order, a Nursing and Midwifery Council Fitness to Practise Committee panel decided.

The panel made the decision at a virtual review hearing on 2 October 2026.

The order replaces a suspension imposed on adult nurse Joanne Burchell, who has been registered since 23 September 1986.

Burchell committed misconduct while employed as the Manager of Holmesley Nursing Home in Devon between February 2021 and 9 March 2021.

The charges found proved said that on one or more occasions she did not follow infection control procedures, in that she "Informed staff members that their Covid Lateral Flow test results were negative when the results were positive."

She also claimed positive lateral flow results were inaccurate or negative because the tests came from a faulty batch "when you had no clinical basis for doing so," and she "Allowed staff members to work when they had tested positive for Covid."

A second set of charges found she failed to provide the leadership or oversight needed to put effective infection control measures in place and prevent Covid from spreading.

When residents arrived or returned to the facility, no isolation measures were put in place, symptomatic residents were not separated from others, and staff failed to wear masks consistently or in the proper manner.

Infection control signage was absent from the doors of symptomatic residents and those who had returned positive test results, and barrier nursing had not been put in place at the earliest possible point following positive tests among residents.

She also "Threw a telephone message from Public Health England asking if more staff were required, in the bin saying 'we do not need their help' or words to that effect."

The panel found her conduct "put residents and/or staff at risk of serious harm" and that her fitness to practise was impaired by reason of misconduct.

A Fitness to Practise Committee originally imposed a 12-month suspension on 20 March 2025.

A reviewing panel extended the suspension by six months on 5 March 2026, and a hearing scheduled for 4 September 2026 was adjourned.

The current suspension expires at the end of 17 October 2026, and the new conditions of practice order takes effect upon that expiry.

The current panel concluded that Burchell's fitness to practise is still compromised, citing concerns relating to both the protection of the public and the wider public interest.

"Your insight is still developing, and you have not fully strengthened your nursing practice," the panel concluded, adding that "there remains a real risk of repetition and a consequent risk of harm to the public."

The panel said she failed to show sufficient insight into infection control concerns "outside of the coronavirus pandemic" and how she would act differently in a post-pandemic situation.

It also found she did not demonstrate insight into the impact of her failings on residents, her colleagues at the time, and the wider public, or into how her leadership and management failings affected colleagues.

While she had completed various training courses in the areas of concern, the panel said she failed to show how she would apply the lessons to her nursing practice, and her testimonials did not directly address the misconduct concerns.

NMC case presenter Ben Edwards said the regulator was neutral on whether her fitness to practise remains impaired and invited the panel to consider her progress and compliance with the last panel's recommendations.

Her representative, Conell Loggenberg, argued she was no longer impaired, citing her "extensive reflection, insight, remorse" and the steps she had taken to strengthen her practice.

Loggenberg said she currently holds a non-clinical healthcare position, working alongside patients who have Parkinson's disease and dementia diagnoses, and has experience working with not-for-profit organisations that serve vulnerable people.

On sanction, the panel determined that neither taking no action nor issuing a caution order would adequately protect the public or serve the public interest, concluding that her misconduct did not fall "at the lower end of the spectrum."

It determined workable conditions could be formulated that, "if complied with, may lead to your unrestricted return to nursing practice."

The conditions require Burchell to complete training and competency assessment in infection prevention and control, including aseptic technique, hand hygiene, personal protective equipment and decontamination.

She is required to create a personal development plan covering infection control and leadership, hold meetings with her line manager, mentor or supervisor no less than once every two months, notify the NMC within seven days of taking up or departing any employment or course of study, and inform it of any clinical incidents, investigations or disciplinary proceedings within seven days.