A NURSE at St Mary’s Hospital has been struck off the register after being found to have an “entrenched contempt” towards black people.

The Nursing and Midwifery Council said Kinga Lesniak’s had a “deep-seated attitudinal problem” and imposed an 18-month interim suspension order to stop her working as a nurse if she chose to appeal.

The panel wrote: “Your misconduct was so deplorable that it could discourage members of the public, especially members of the black community, from seeking/ accessing clinical care when required. In light of this, the panel determined that your misconduct poses a significant risk of harm to the public and that a finding of impairment is necessary on the grounds of public protection.”

Ms Lesniak denied calling colleagues at the hospital in Paddington “the N-word” but had admitted using a handful of slurs she agreed were racially motivated.

Her remarks were reported and Ms Lesniak was immediately suspended. She resigned the following day.

The BBC’s Local Democracy Reporting Service attempted to contact Ms Lesniak for comment.