Nurse Struck Off Over What she Posted on Social media

A nurse has been struck off after 45 years of service for sharing anti-immigrant and anti-Muslim posts on social media, that warned of foreigners coming to the UK and “being your rulers”.

“These give nothing and get everything,” the caption on a series of images shared by Roberta Batchelor said. The images included one of a boat filled with people arriving at a beach. Another image showed a homeless veteran with the caption “these give everything and get nothing.”

The posts were shared by Batchelor, who said she became “caught up in all the unrest in the country”, in August 2024. She also posted a picture of a child being chased by men, with one of them wielding a knife, the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) said. The caption read: “Next time when you pay your taxes, remember some of your money goes for the ‘Protection of Mosques’.”

There was other shared content that included “a highlighted section of the book of Deuteronomy stating ‘Foreigners who live in your land will gain more and more power, while you gradually lose yours… ‘They will have money to lend you, but you will have none to lend them. In the end they will be your rulers.’”

Another post read “YOU AT THE AIRPORT”, showing a security inspection. In a split image next to it, a man shown departing from a boat was captioned “MUHAMMAD AT DOVER”.

On August 5, 2024, a complaint was made to the University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust, where Batchelor was working as a ward manager. This prompted an investigation and Batchelor admitted to the posts and apologised.

She said she “should never allow myself to get into such a situation as a professional”. Her comments led to her being struck off, ending a career at the trust lasting 40 years. After starting as a cleaner, she rose to a position where she was managing wards and won a Pride of Nursing award in Birmingham in 2015.

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Batchelor was found to have breached a number of rules detailed in the NMC code. She agreed she should be “removed from nursing”.

She said in a statement to the NMC: “Posting horrible stuff on Facebook, I was angry because at the time the Government was going to take away the elderly TV licence and winter fuel. I allowed myself to get caught up in all the unrest in the country.

“I find it very difficult to forgive myself for doing this ridiculous thing. I apologised to all my family and friends, also work friends who knew it wasn’t something I would do without a reason. So for my sanity I wish to be removed from nursing as I don’t feel I should have that privilege.”

She added that she felt “disgusted” by her actions and for “being so angry that I took this out with horrible stuff on Facebook”.

The NMC said her comments about her “racially motivated and discriminatory actions” did not amount to “serious reflection”.

The panel said: “This happened on several occasions and is evidence of deep-seated attitudinal issues. Batchelor’s actions were significant departures from the standards expected of a registered nurse, and are fundamentally incompatible with her remaining on the register.

“The panel was of the view that the findings in this particular case demonstrate that Batchelor’s actions were serious and to allow her to continue practising would give rise to a real risk of harm to the public and undermine public confidence in the profession and in the NMC as a regulatory body.

“The panel considered that a striking off order is necessary to protect the public and to mark the seriousness of Batchelor’s misconduct and underpin the importance of maintaining public confidence in the profession, and send to the public and the profession a clear message about the standard of behaviour required of a registered nurse.”