A SOUTHAMPTON mental health nurse who offered to have sex with a vulnerable patient has been struck off the nursing register for misconduct.

Janice Knight told the man – referred to as Service User One – “we will make love if you want” in a letter in 2015.

She had been involved in a project at Southfield Low Secure Unit, in Southampton, while the man was there, but maintained a relationship afterwards.

Now, after she admitted the relationship was “inappropriate”, she has been struck off by the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC).

The NMC’s conduct and competence committee said Ms Knight’s “misconduct” was serious and only striking off was appropriate.

“The panel considered that you maintained an inappropriate relationship with Service User One for a prolonged period,” it said.

“The panel is satisfied that you offered to have sex with Service User One at some point.

“However, on the evidence before it, it could not conclude that this actually took place at any time.”

The disciplinary panel heard Ms Knight had worked for the Southern Health NHS Foundation Trust as a mental health nurse.

She had been involved with the patient at Southfield, but continued the “relationship” after he was discharged to another facility.

She visited the house of one of his family members and took him to her own mother’s home, the panel said.

She had also sent text and email messages to his phone.

The contact only came to light when the man reported it to his social worker and psychiatrist.

Ms Knight said she had been going through “extremely difficult personal circumstances” at the time and was under “considerable stress”.

However, the panel found that “actual harm in the form of emotional distress” had been caused to the man.

Her conduct was so far below the standards expected of a nurse that other professionals would find it “deplorable”.

She had “crossed sexual boundaries” and her misconduct “seriously undermined public confidence in the profession”.

The panel concluded that “a striking-off order was the only appropriate and proportionate sanction”.