Cocaine-snorting nurse Tara Seymour will not face a challenge to her relaxed drug screening regimen despite medical authorities arguing tougher testing was needed to keep the public safe. The John Fawkner Private Hospital nurse blamed sweaty sex with a drug user for a positive cocaine test while convincing the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal to reduce the drug testing imposed on her by the Nursing and Midwifery Board. The board and the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency had until last week to appeal the VCAT decision to place Ms Seymour on Group 2 level drug tests — four random urine samples a month and a quarterly hair test — rather than more onerous Group 1 screening — 12 random urine samples a month and quarterly hair tests. The authorities argued tougher testing was needed to protect the public and ensure Ms Seymour, who has also failed previous tests, remained drug free. However, a week after refusing to say if an appeal was being considered, AHPRA spokeswoman Rachael Davies said the board had accepted the VCAT ruling. “In making its decision, we recognise that the tribunal had more information available to it than was available to the board,” she said. The board and AHPRA again refused to comment on why no action was taken when Ms Seymour’s suspected illicit drug use was first brought to attention in 2014. The John Fawkner Private Hospital says Ms Seymour is appropriately supervised and has a sound nursing record, with colleagues describing her as a “passionate nurse”.
