A FORMER colleague of a care home nurse who was banned for stealing money from a resident claims she too was cheated out of hundreds of pounds. Pensioner Brenda Scally was working with Nelly Dela Cruz at the Bupa-run Hillview Care Home in Dalmuir at the time Dela Cruz took �300 from an elderly resident.

Earlier this month the nurse was banned for three months after a Nursing and Midwifery Council panel decided her fitness to practice was impaired.

Dela Cruz admitted taking the money but claimed she took it home inadvertently the day before she was due to return to her native Philippines for a holiday.

Brenda, who retired last year after a 40-year nursing career, had no idea why her former colleague never returned to work until she read about the case in last week's Clydebank Post.

The 69-year-old from Duntocher claims she gave Dela Cruz a loan of �500 in August 2009 to cover costs relating to a visa application but Brenda says that was the last time she ever saw her former friend.

She told the Post: "Nelly was due to stop for a two week holiday when she phoned me at the house and told me she didn't have enough money to renew her visa, and asked if I could possibly help her out.

"I explained to her that I didn't have much money at the time but she kept pleading with me.

"I told her it was my Christmas money so I needed to get it back.

"I went down to the care home on the Sunday and gave Nelly the cash in an envelope and she promised me faithfully that she would give me it back when she returned from her holiday.

"Then, after her two week holiday, I noticed that the staff rota had a line through it but nobody would tell me anything.

"I went to the manager and asked when Nelly would be coming back. I said, 'I'm not being nosey but I've loaned her �500 to renew her visa so she can work'. I could tell from the look on his face that something wasn't right.

"Eventually I forgot all about it and just resigned myself to the fact that I wouldn't be seeing the money again.

"But then I picked up the Clydebank Post and couldn't believe what I was reading.

"I know I'll never get my money back but it's cleared up a few unanswered questions. I only hope others haven't fallen into the same trap as me." It emerged during the hearing that Dela Cruz was working as a unit manager on Ranvenswood House ward at the Singer Road facility when she took money from a resident in August 2009.

The panel concluded that by taking the �300 the nurse had not made the resident's care her first concern and had not treated her with respect.

Dela Cruz was suspended for three months and the panel also imposed an interim suspension order for 18 months. Dela Cruz has 28 days to appeal the decision.

The Post contacted Dela Cruz's lawyer who declined to comment on the situation.

A spokeswoman for BUPA said: "We suspended the individual concerned when this allegation was made in 2009.

"She has not worked for Bupa since 2011."