A NURSE has been struck off after he turned up for work at a Renfrewshire care home while under the influence.

Johnstone man Craig Campbell, 41, has been given the lifetime ban by the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NWC).

A probe into his conduct was launched last year after a series of incidents at the town’s Cochrane Care Home in November 2018.

Mr Campbell admitted being in possession of the prescription drug Levomepromazine without any “clinical justification.”

The sedative is normally used for people who are terminally ill and had been earmarked for a patient at the home.

The NMC also found that Mr Campbell had attended work “under the influence of medication or an unknown substance.”

Colleagues told how his behaviour was erratic during his shift on November 28.

They said he appeared out of sorts, looked drunk and his speech was slurred.

Mr Campbell was suspended the following day and dismissed for gross misconduct the next month.

In a written judgement, the NMC told Mr Campbell that his conduct fell significantly short of the standards expected of a registered nurse and amounted to breaches of its code of practice.

It added: “The panel was of the view that attending work while under the influence was undoubtedly a very serious matter which put care home residents at risk of harm.

“Your misconduct had breached the fundamental tenets of the nursing profession and therefore brought its reputation into disrepute.

“The findings in this particular case demonstrate that Mr Campbell’s actions were serious and to allow him to continue practising would undermine public confidence in the profession.”

This wasn’t the first time Mr Campbell has been investigated by the NMC.

In 2011, he admitted forging patients’ prescriptions in order to steal a large quantity of prescription drug diazepam.

Mr Campbell also admitted stealing another sedative – midazolam – for his own use while working at Paisley’s Royal Alexandra Hospital but the NMC allowed him to keep his licence to practise.

Instead, he was given a five-year caution order after a tribunal ruled he was guilty of misconduct.

Cochrane Care Home was placed in administration by previous owner Silverline Care last year and taken over by new owners the Anavo Group.