A NURSE who was suspended after a Nursing and Midwifery Council hearing found him guilty of misconduct has given an account of his actions.

Neil Robertson, who worked at Darlington Memorial Hospital, between 2005 and 2011, was not represented at the NMC hearing against him in London, where he was found to have verbally abused staff and patients and made mistakes with medication.

Mr Robertson said he accepts the findings of the NMC, but asked for a right of reply to defend his actions.

In an email to The Northern Echo, he said: “I deeply regret my actions about the way I let patients, colleagues and the nursing profession down.

"I was, without realising it, undergoing a complete mental breakdown in which I medicated myself with large amounts of alcohol but absolutely nobody appeared to take the slightest bit of notice or indeed care why I seemed to be doing this.

“They could/would not understand why my behaviour was changing from the free and easy personality of when I first qualified and started my career to ending up me being dismissed from my post in 2011.

“It felt like I was looking through someone else's eyes and having no control over what I did or said next. I just couldn't stop myself from hitting the self-destruct button.

“For what it is worth this is only a very small part of the pain I was undergoing that led to my dismissal, but now that I have gained the proper help, all I want to do is to look forward.”