A UK health tribunal has removed Ifenyinwa Chizube Ndulue-Nonso from the professional register after finding she falsely presented herself as an experienced dietitian to secure a job with the NHS.
The Health and Care Professions Tribunal Service (HCPTS) heard on March 2 that Ndulue-Nonso misrepresented her qualifications and displayed serious gaps in basic medical knowledge shortly after starting at Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust in February 2024.
The tribunal found she made fundamental errors, including claiming urine is stored in the gallbladder, stating radiotherapy treats heart failure, misidentifying the large intestine as following the stomach, and failing to calculate a patient’s BMI. Her supervisor described the gaps as extremely alarming, noting they involved basic anatomy and essential professional knowledge. Concerns were formally raised within three days.
Ndulue-Nonso admitted she had never administered feeding through an intravenous catheter or used nutritional supplement drinks, and was reportedly seen searching online for basic medical terms while on duty. Investigations showed 20 of the 28 competencies she claimed were unsupported. She said she had learned correct responses from previous NHS interviews.
Although she denied deliberate deception, claiming her application reflected her Nigerian experience, the panel ruled her conduct was planned and persistent, posing a serious risk to patients.
The Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) has therefore removed her from the UK register of dietitians, barring her from practising in the country.