A TOP judge has savaged the Nursing and Midwifery Council over its “lamentable” treatment of an Oxford nurse who has had the shadow of disciplinary action hanging over her for years.

In a scathing indictment of the regulatory body, Mr Justice Bean said its repetitive statements that Victoria Maceda’s suspension is “necessary” to protect patients was no more than “a recitation of a formula as if this was some kind of religious ceremony”.

Ms Maceda, 57, from Oxford, is so disabled she has to use a zimmer frame but has been suspended from the profession since February last year whilst the NMC has dithered as to whether she even has a case to answer, London’s High Court heard.

Ms Maceda, of Dora Carr Close, Headington, has faced an uncertain future ever since she was dismissed by the Oxford Radcliffe Hospitals NHS Trust as long ago as the summer of 2009 after concerns were raised as to her competence.

She was suspended from the profession for the maximum 18 months by the NMC in February 2010 and has remained in limbo ever since – despite external investigators recommending in September last year that the case against her be dropped as she had “no case to answer”.

Taking the almost unheard of step of summarily restoring Ms Maceda to the nursing register, the judge said the delays were “lamentable”.

And when the Nursing and Midwifery Council’s counsel, Jamie Hunt, said that the body was doing its best to swiftly resolve the case, the judge observed: “If these are the NMC’s best endeavours, I despair I’m afraid.”