Aesthetics nurse was 'stockpiling' medications, court hears
An aesthetics nurse was ordering such quantities of prescription-only medications it suggested she was stockpiling them, a court has heard.
Nichola Hawes, 49, is on trial for alleged fraud and selling or supplying medicines, including drugs for weight loss and Botox, without proper prescriptions.
She runs Nichola Hawes Aesthetic Clinic on Groomsport Road in Bangor, County Down, and faces 31 charges, including fraud by false representation.
Giving evidence at at Downpatrick Crown Court on Thursday, Department of Health (DoH) pharmacist Aaron McKendry said: "The quantity may have indicated that it was not solely for the person it was prescribed for."
Mr McKendry that said while the clinic could have held medicines for specific patients or clients to be given to them during treatment, the way they had been ordered and the quantities found "suggested that they were for stock".
Mr McKendry said that a month before a box of medications had been delivered to Ms Hawes' client Jordan Cairns, he had been doing routine checks on private prescriptions at a specific pharmacy when he noticed an unusual amount of B12 prescriptions had been ordered by Ms Hawes.
Further inquiries at another pharmacy established that medications being ordered by Ms Hawes were being delivered to her clinic rather than to the patient, while a search of Ms Hawes' clinic uncovered boxes of medications without labels.
He explained that under the Human Medicines Act and associated regulations, a prescription-only medication should have a patient's name on it, who and when it was ordered by, and the dispensing pharmacist.
Many of the medicines found at Ms Hawes' clinic had no such labelling and while some of them did, Mr McKendry explained that under the Human Medicines Act it was only doctors and dentists who are allowed to keep a stock of medicines, not prescribing nurses.
The trial continues.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time Business News
16 hours ago
- Time Business News
Health Department Awards Optus $33M Contract for Medicare Communications Infrastructure
The Department of Health has awarded Australian telecommunications giant Optus a $33 million contract to provide critical communications services underpinning Australia's Medicare and e-health systems, marking a significant vote of confidence in the carrier following recent cybersecurity challenges. The three-year deal, with potential extension to six years, was confirmed through a contract notification posted on the government's AusTender procurement website. The agreement consolidates Optus's position as a strategic telecommunications provider to the federal government. Under the arrangement, Optus will deliver what the company describes as 'a fully managed Network-as-a-Service (NaaS) solution for the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing, supporting its digital transformation.' The contract represents a consolidation of various telecommunications services previously spread across multiple arrangements. Optus has historically maintained substantial portions of the Health Department's carrier contracts, but the new deal brings together disparate services under a unified framework. The award comes as the Albanese government prioritizes securing core digital infrastructure supporting Medicare and broader e-health services. The telecommunications backbone provided under the contract will underpin the delivery of essential health services to millions of Australians. The deal also signals renewed government confidence in Optus following a turbulent period for the carrier. The company was among several major Australian corporations targeted by Russian-linked ransomware attacks, drawing criticism from former Home Affairs Minister Clare O'Neil. The cyberattacks resulted in the application of sanctions following what officials described as malicious raids on critical infrastructure providers. Despite these security challenges, the Health Department's decision to award the substantial contract to Optus suggests the government views the carrier as having adequately addressed previous vulnerabilities. The Network-as-a-Service model allows the Health Department to access telecommunications infrastructure without the need for significant capital investment in physical network equipment, while ensuring reliable connectivity for critical health system operations. The contract timeline provides flexibility for both parties, with the initial three-year term allowing for performance evaluation before potential extension to the full six-year period. This structure enables the government to maintain service continuity while preserving options for future procurement decisions. TIME BUSINESS NEWS
Yahoo
18 hours ago
- Yahoo
Avoid drinking tap water for now if served by these Pierce County utilities
Avoid drinking tap water until further notice if you're served by Ashford Water District or the S & I system of Washington Water Service, according to notices this week from the state Department of Health. 'This water system experienced a main break with pressure loss,' a notice for Ashford Water District said Sunday. 'When water lines lose pressure, potentially harmful contaminants can enter the water system. As a safety precaution, customers should boil their water or use bottled water until further notice.' Another water system in Pierce County, S & I under Washington Water Service, was flagged as unsafe with a similar message on the state Department of Health website Tuesday. A public notice on the Ashford Water District website says that chlorine will remain in the system for three days and will be flushed out over five to seven days. Then, water samples will be tested in a lab. 'When all samples test Satisfactory, Ashford Water District will then lift the Boil Water Order,' the notice says. Two Ashford businesses, Paradise Village Restaurant and coffee stop Rise and Grind, were closed Tuesday afternoon due to water safety concerns, according to the Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department website. The News Tribune called Ashford Water District and Washington Water Service for more information but was unable to reach a spokesperson Tuesday. Ashford Water District and S & I are both classified as Group A water systems, which means they 'have 15 or more service connections or serve 25 or more people 60 or more days per year,' according to the health department website.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Yahoo
PA bills will expand access to opioid overdose reversal agents
PENNSYLVANIA (WTAJ) — Two bills will soon be introduced to help provide more resources to first responders and law enforcement to fight opioid overdoses. Representatives Chris Pielli and Brian Munroe, in a memo to lawmakers, wrote that the current practice in Pennsylvania is 'outdated.' Noting that the Department of Health only allows the use of naloxone despite other options being available. The CDC reported that deaths involving opioids were estimated to be over 54,000. However, from December 2023 to December 2024, drug overdose deaths in Pennsylvania dropped by 29.94%. Two states, Nevada and South Dakota, were the only ones with increases. Both saw increases of over 4%. Pennsylvania lawmakers advance bill expanding no-cost breast cancer diagnostics Naloxone is used by law enforcement and other first responders to reverse the effects of an opioid overdose. Naloxone works by attaching itself to opioid receptors and then reversing and blocking the effects of opioids. In the CDC's most recent report, they also listed synthetic opioids, like fentanyl, as being the cause of the largest number of overdose deaths. Fentanyl is 50 times stronger than heroin and 100 times stronger than morphine, according to the representatives. They argue that fentanyl is so strong that it can outlast the effects of naloxone and cause people to 're-overdose.' That's why they feel that first responders should have access to things like nalmefene, which is a longer-lasting opioid antagonist. Currently, nalmefene is only available by prescription. 'While naloxone is a crucial tool for first responders and law enforcement, it cannot be our only option,' The representatives said. The two bills that they will be introducing would do the following: Amend the Controlled Substance Drug, Device, and Cosmetic Act to allow nalmefene as an approved opioid antagonist for use over the counter. Direct the Pennsylvania Department of Health to change their current standing order to include nalmefene as an approved opioid reversal agent for over the counter use. 'We cannot continue to discount the ability of other opioid antagonists to save lives. While our policy continues to stagnate, the illicit drug market evolves, adapts, and finds new ways to draw Pennsylvanians into the throes of addiction or, in an unfortunate number of cases, death,' the representatives added. If you or someone you know is struggling with substance abuse, you can contact the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration's free, confidential, 24/7, 365-day-a-year treatment referral and information service at 1-800-662-HELP (4357). Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
