A scientist could be struck off the professional register after he allegedly turned up to work at a hospital under the influence of drink or drugs.
Colin MacInnes is due to appear at a fitness to practise hearing being held by the Health Professions Council in Aberdeen today to determine if he was guilty of misconduct while working as a biomedical scientist for NHS Grampian.
The hospital worker is accused of being in an intoxicated state while midway through his nightshift at the haematology department at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary.
Two other employees saw Mr MacInnes as he tried to call for a lift at about 2.15am on September 23, 2008.
He had started work at 9pm the previous night.
They noticed he was having difficulty staying on his feet, and was “talking incoherently”, according to the Health Professions Council papers on the incident.
A report on the incident notes that Mr MacInnes allegedly told the two workers that he had “no identification”, when he in fact did have, and also states he was judged to be “in no fit state to work” and was then escorted to the hospital entrance where he got a taxi.
The council paper also states: “As a consequence of his actions, the clinical workplace was left unattended for a lengthy period.” The qualified scientist turned up at the laboratory again just over two hours later at 4.30am, when he appeared to be “flushed and flustered”.
He failed to tell his boss about the incident and since leaving that shift last year Mr MacInnes has allegedly not returned to the ARI laboratory, nor given any explanation for the events of that night.
The council has also noted that the former scientist has “failed to make any contact with the haematology department and he has failed to respond to its attempts at communication with him”.
At the hearing this morning, the council will claim these actions amount to “misconduct” and, as a result, the former NHS employee’s “fitness to practise is impaired”.
A spokesman for NHS Grampian confirmed Mr MacInnes was no longer employed by the health board.