A speech therapist has been suspended from her role for a year after being convicted of drink-driving.
Anne Mitchell-Smith admitted to driving three times over the legal limit on Watermill Road, Fraserburgh on October, 8, 2016.
When breathalysed, her reading stated she had 68 micrograms of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath. The legal limit is 22mg.
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Mitchell-Smith pleaded guilty to driving above the prescribed limit during an appearance at Peterhead Sheriff Court last year.
She was fined £400 and was banned from the road for 16 months.
The 53-year-old from Sandhaven, who was working for NHS Grampian at the time, told the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) about her conviction after being charged.
That led to a hearing of the Health and Care Professionals Tribunal Service (HCPTS) which took place last week.
The allegation she faced said that due to the conviction her fitness to practice as a speech and language therapist was impaired.
Ms Mitchell-Smith did not attend and was not represented at the hearing in Glasgow.
A report provided to the HCPTS conduct and competence committee stated that a person was hit by the car and spent “some weeks” in hospital.
It also said Mitchell-Smith was travelling with her son at the time.
The document said: “She submitted it was a serious matter for a healthcare professional to have a conviction against them and that driving with excess alcohol has particular seriousness for healthcare professionals because of the risk of harm to others.
“A member of the public had suffered injuries which required hospitalisation for some weeks.
“The registrant was also carrying a passenger, her son, and thereby risked his safety and wellbeing as well.
“The criminal conviction in this case concerns the registrant driving after consuming alcohol to the extent that the amount of alcohol in her blood was three times over the prescribed limit in Scotland.”
In an email sent to the committee in July Mitchell-Smith said she had drunk a bottle of wine, opposed drink driving and that the journey was “entirely avoidable.”
The disciplinary body also heard the car she was driving had been leased to her as part of her employment.
Mitchell-Smith had expressed remorse over the offence and said she was “no longer” drinking.
The committee decided to suspend Mitchell-Smith for a year as this would “adequately protect the public.”
They did consider striking her off the register but determined that would be “disproportionate.”
She is no longer employed at NHS Grampian.
