UPDATED A senior emergency nurse at St George’s Hospital—South West London’s primary trauma centre—has been suspended for 12 months after a damning ruling by the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC).
Mark Barry, a Band 7 Emergency Nurse Practitioner, was found to have repeatedly failed to deliver safe, competent care, resulting in actual harm to patients and a breakdown of trust in his clinical judgment. The NMC panel concluded [pdf] that Barry posed a serious ongoing risk to patients, citing more than 60 serious failings in care and describing his conduct as falling “seriously short of the standards expected of a nurse.”
Despite years of supervision, warnings, and opportunities to improve, Barry showed no meaningful insight or professional development. His suspension is now in effect, following a March 2025 hearing that concluded his fitness to practise was impaired due to misconduct, lack of competence, and health-related concerns.
Persistent Patient Safety Failures
Barry’s failings included misdiagnosing injuries, failing to order or interpret critical tests, inadequate assessments, incorrect documentation, and even recording procedures that were never carried out. In some cases, patients had to re-attend the emergency department for correct care, while others were left untreated or misinformed. In one instance, a patient with heart palpitations was sent away without any initial assessment.
Although several allegations of dishonesty were not proven, the panel made clear that Barry’s clinical failings alone presented a significant danger to patients.
Trusted role, failed expectations
Barry’s title—Band 7 Emergency Nurse Practitioner—reflects a senior and highly trusted clinical position within the NHS. Nurses at this level are expected to have advanced knowledge, years of experience, and the ability to work independently in high-pressure settings like A&E.
As a Band 7 nurse, Barry was entrusted to assess, diagnose, and treat patients without needing supervision, and to lead by example for more junior colleagues. He was expected to manage complex cases, apply clinical guidelines with confidence, and make decisions that affect patient outcomes. That he was unable to meet even basic standards of care over an extended period raises serious concerns about oversight, training, and accountability.
A key healthcare provider for South West London
St George’s Hospital is more than just a busy A&E—it’s the nearest emergency unit for thousands of residents in Putney, Roehampton, and Wandsworth. Operated by St George’s University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, it is part of a larger system delivering vital health services across South West London.
The Trust also runs:
- Queen Mary’s Hospital in Roehampton
- Eileen Lecky Clinic in Putney
- Community health centres in Tooting, Wimbledon, and Clapham
- Specialist and rehabilitation services, along with healthcare at HMP Wandsworth
For the many in the area, it is their main NHS provider, placing additional scrutiny on how Barry’s shortcomings were allowed to continue unchecked for so long.
A shocking breach of standards
In its decision, the NMC panel said:
“A reasonable member of the public would be shocked if a finding of impairment were not made in this case.”
It concluded that Barry’s repeated failure to meet the expectations of his senior role placed patients at serious risk and undermined public confidence in nursing. A 12-month suspension was imposed, with an interim order in place to prevent him practising during the appeal period.
Independent assessment
St George’s Hospital has been assessed by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) as “requiring improvement” meaning that “the service isn’t performing as well as it should” and the CQC has told the service how it must improve.
In March 2024, the CQC conducted an unannounced, focused assessment of the Urgent and Emergency Services at St George’s Hospital in Tooting, prompted by two incidents resulting in patient deaths. The assessment specifically examined the management of fall risks from height but did not reassess the overall service rating.
Consequently, the Urgent and Emergency Services maintained their previous rating of “Requires Improvement,” as determined in the 2019 inspection.
Trust questions and response
We have asked the Trust for a response to this case, including: whether it launched its own investigation into Mr Barry’s conduct; whether any patients affected by Mr Barry’s care have been offered follow-up support; what steps, if any, have been taken to strengthen supervision, clinical oversight, or staff performance review in the Emergency Department; and whether it had a public statement or position in response to the NMC’s findings and will update this story accordingly.
The Trust responded swiftly promising a longer explanation later. It noted that the staff member no longer works for the Trust, that the NMC has made an independent ruling which it accepts and that it cannot comment on any internal investigations or on patient information.
Update 11 April: A spokesperson for St George’s University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust said:
“When concerns were raised about Mr Barry, we carried out an internal investigation and referred him to the Nursing and Midwifery Council, resulting in him being suspended.
“We have contacted the affected patients and apologised to them – and have taken steps to prevent this happening again, including strengthening how we monitor staff performance in addition to training and clinical supervision.”
Update 16 April: Despite repeat requests to share any details of the internal investigation, outline the steps it claims to have taken to monitor staff performance, or provide examples of the additional training it claims to have introduced as a result of the Barry case, the St George’s Trust has refused to do so.
We urged it to provide some level of accountability and provide the public with confidence that it is acting responsibly, but were told the Trust was unable to go into any other further details, and a request for extra information was currently not something it was able to support.
Have you been treated at St George’s, Queen Mary’s, or other services in the area? Contact us confidentially to share your experience.
