A MALE nurse has been struck off after being accused of sexually inappropriate behaviour towards patients - some of whom were children.

Wayne Bronze, a former nurse at the Island Surgery on Canvey, has been banned from the profession after a Nursing and Midwifery Council panel considered accusations of sexual misconduct against him.

Mr Bronze had previously been suspended from nursing in 2017 after telling a patient her breasts “looked lovely”.

At a hearing earlier this month, an panel heard several allegations against Mr Bronze taking place over three years - most of which the panel deemed had been “proved” before striking him off the register.

The hearing was told that he had stared at the chest of a teenage patient who had accompanied their mother to the surgery.

In evidence, the girl said: “Whilst I was sitting in the waiting room area of the surgery with my mum, Wayne came over, stood directly in front of me and looked straight down my top.”

The panel was further told he had made inappropriate comments towards a patient, allegedly telling her she was “looking good for nearly 50” and making “an inappropriate thrusting gesture”.

He also allegedly slid his hand down the back of another patient, “to her jeans and down to her underwear”.

The Nursing and Midwifery Council was also told of another incident, in which Mr Bronze allegedly slapped a patient’s rear while administering a contraceptive injection.

He then reportedly told the patient: “Back in the olden days they used to slap your bum to make it spread quicker.”

The panel said evidence also “proved” Mr Bronze had said “This is my lucky day” and “A lovely pair of breasts” during an appointment for breast cancer checks.

He was also said to have messaged the same patient on Facebook saying “Allo sexy”.

Mr Bronze denied all the allegations.

The panel ruled: “Your behaviour was inappropriate, involving unwanted sexualised behaviour towards women in your care.

“This occurred on occasions during procedures which were intimate in nature and also involved two patients who were minors at the time of events you demonstrated a worrying pattern of behaviour towards women.”