A CANCER patient was left in a critical condition when a nurse failed to spot obvious symptoms after an operation, a hearing was told.

The Nursing and Midwifery Council heard that Gillian Simpson, 40, did not get help for the 68-year-old, who suffered renal failure as his condition worsened over six hours following an operation.

The council heard that Ms Simpson failed to call for help despite the fact the man, called only Patient A, who was at the Friarage Hospital, in Northallerton, had four litres of fluid pumped into him.

Colleagues who arrived for the morning shift found him in a serious condition, and he died later that day, on January 14, 2001.

Ms Simpson is not held responsible for his death, but she is accused of failing in her duty.

The hearing was told she also took painkillers from the hospital for her own use.

Ms Simpson worked nightshifts on Allen Ward, an orthopaedic unit at the hospital.

The hearing was told Ms Simpson had failed to record any post-operative observations and had only scrawled a few basic notes on a piece of paper, which she kept in her pocket.

She later wrote up the notes at the end of her shift.

Ms Simpson, who lives in Northallerton, had worked at the hospital, but left in August 2001.

The nurse, who is attending the hearing, denies failing to get assistance for Patient A, but admits failing to record post-operative observations.

She has also admitted falsely claiming she had completed a course at work and misappropriating an unknown quantity of painkillers for her use.

The hearing continues.