A nurse accused of mistreating a patient in her care has been cleared by an independent panel.

Allison Maria Simon faced a panel of the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) over allegations she assaulted a patient while working at the Fletcher Ward in Northwick Park Hospital, Watford Way, Harrow.

She was found fit to return to her job after being placed on restrictive duties after the claims were made in December 2013.

She was said to have strangled, shook and kicked a patient, flicked his ear and pushed him onto his bed after trying to move him out of a chair at the nurses’ station.

She was also accused of administering the sedative haloperidol while she was not on duty.

Written statements from members of staff, however, said they all benefited from Ms Simon’s help that evening.

Doctors who assessed the patient after the incident said he had been left with no apparent injuries and that his blood pressure was in normal limits.

She was also accused of saying words to the effect of “don’t you do that to me” to the patient when asking him not to stand on her foot, and although this was proven, the panel drew no adverse inference from its finding.

The panel told Ms Simon: “We received a bundle of positive testimonials from colleagues.

“The panel noted in your 12 years of practice as a nurse you have never previously been brought before your regulator or been the subject of a disciplinary investigation.”