Scamdemic nurse won't return to the profession

Tracey McCallum 'undermined' public trust

- PAUL BEHAN

A former nurse at Crosshouse Hospital, suspended by the Nursing and Midwifery Council for promoting conspiracy theories surrounding the Covid-19 pandemic and vaccine, has told the industry regulator she no longer plans to return to the profession.

Tracey McCallum's online posts, radio and newspaper interviews had the potential to “undermine public confidence and trust” by “being divisive, creating fear and creating distrust,” according to the nursing regulator.

McCallum, who worked for NHS 24 at the Ayrshire hospital, also breached confidentiality by posting information relating to a patient's health and information about a work colleague.

As a result, McCallum's fitness to practise was deemed to be “impaired” by reason of “misconduct,” said the NMC.

McCallum was suspended in November last year for a period of 12 months, with an interim suspension order in place for 18 months.

A review of McCallum's suspension order was due to take place after 12 months but, according to the NMC, McCallum “made it clear” she was “no longer engaging” with the body and “wished to be removed from the register.”

In some of her social media posts, published between March 2020 and December 2021, McCallum said: “I for one, am sick of hearing about tests and vaccines. They won't help any of us if we get seriously unwell and it won't help my 82-year-old dad.”

In another post she referred to the global pandemic as a 'scamdemic,' suggesting “vaccines are rushed through. And from the amount of folk that have already died from them, yes folk have died, but that's not on the BBC.”

One other post from McCallum endorsed Dr. Vernon Coleman, who suggested masks were 'dangerous,' referencing a post that stated, “Doctors and Nurses Giving the Covid 19 Vaccine Will Be Tried as War Criminals.”

McCallum also endorsed David Icke's view, claiming that vaccines are 'dangerous.