Private detectives have been on the trail of a rogue intensive care nurse who has been struck off – but could still be practising.

Alice Lukose, 49, was banished from the profession last week for a string of potentially-lethal errors while working at Darent Valley Hospital.

She turned off the ventilator alarms of desperately ill patients without checking their condition, suctioned someone’s mouth instead of their lungs and failed to administer drugs to another patient.

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Lukose resigned in May 2006 after hospital bosses began disciplinary proceedings over her dangerous failings at the Intensive Therapy Unit, which were repeated over seven months.

The Nursing and Midwifery Council posted details of a Conduct and Competence Committee hearing into her behaviour to her home in Stone.

But the Messenger can reveal that when it emerged she had moved without informing the NMC, the industry body employed private investigators.

They failed to track her down in time for last week’s hearing, but it is not clear if they are continuing their hunt.

And while her expulsion would be flagged up to a new employer if she applied for another nursing job, an NMC spokesman said it was possible Lukose was still working undetected.

But she said: “Each month we circulate the results of our hearings to all health employers and agencies so they can check.”

A Dartford and Gravesham NHS Trust spokesman said: “The well-being and safety of the patients in our care is our highest priority.

“We will always act immediately if we feel that this is being put at risk. Disciplinary proceedings into nurse Lukose’s behaviour had commenced when she chose to resign.”