THE Crossgates nurse who survived ebola has been cleared of professional misconduct and would "never knowingly" put anyone's life in danger.

A disciplinary process began after Pauline Cafferkey was accused of concealing the symptoms of the deadly disease when she returned to the UK from Africa.

An independent panel at the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) in Edinburgh found three charges against the 40-year-old were not proven and therefore her fitness to practise was "not impaired".

The Scottish medical worker became infected with ebola while working in Sierra Leone in 2014.

The NMC had alleged Ms Cafferkey allowed an incorrect temperature to be recorded during the screening process at Heathrow Airport towards the end of December that year and that she left a screening area without reporting her true temperature.

However, the hearing was told that she arrived back to "chaotic" scenes at the Heathrow Airport screening centre, which was unprepared for the number of medics returning.

Her doctor said the nurse would have already been suffering impairment of judgment as a result of the effect of the virus.

In reaching the decision, chairman Timothy Cole said "compelling and clear medical evidence" about Ms Cafferkey's state of mind and ability to reason and make objective decisions at the time was central to the panel's deliberations.

He told her: "The panel was of the view that in your diminished medical state, you were swept along by events and it was satisfied that in order to make a finding of misconduct, it would be necessary to find a degree of participation which was absent in this case.

"On that basis, the panel was not satisfied that your actions could properly be characterised as misconduct."

Speaking outside the hearing, Ms Cafferkey's lawyer, Joyce Cullen, said her client was "relieved the process is at an end".

Ms Cullen added: "She willingly put her life at risk to travel to Sierra Leone to work as a volunteer helping to treat people suffering from ebola.

"She and hundreds of other volunteers played a vital role in saving lives, helping to curb the epidemic in extremely challenging circumstances."

She said it was "ironic" that, given the criticism of Public Health England's processes at the airport screening centre and "serious failures in communication" amongst their staff, it was their complaint that led to the investigation and proceedings against Ms Cafferkey.

Ms Cullen said the disciplinary process had been "stressful and upsetting" for her client and added: "She is delighted that the panel has made the decision she has no case to answer and is now able to continue her nursing career in Scotland."

Ms Cafferkey was among a group of doctors and nurses deployed to Sierra Leone for a six week period at the end of 2014.

The hearing was told that, on her return, a doctor took her temperature at Heathrow and found it to be 38.3C (100F).

A high temperature can be an early sign of an infection.

Someone else in the group "stated at this point that she would record the temperature as 37.2 degrees on Ms Cafferkey's screening form and then they would 'get out of here and sort it out',".

Agreed facts show that Ms Cafferkey stated she cannot remember who said it or who entered the lower temperature on her form.

The nurse was eventually cleared for onward travel, arrived in Glasgow late in the evening and awoke feeling "very unwell" the following day.

She was diagnosed with ebola – with one of the highest viral loads ever recorded – and spent almost a month being treated in an isolation unit at London's Royal Free Hospital.

Ms Cafferkey had two further admissions to hospital, one with a relapse of the ebola virus and the other with chronic meningitis.

NMC chief executive Jackie Smith said: "The NMC has an overarching duty to protect the health and wellbeing of the public and need to ensure the maintenance of public confidence in the profession.

"The referral from Public Health England showed a highly unusual set of circumstances that clearly required a thorough and proper investigation.

"In circumstances like this, it is right for an independent panel to hear all the evidence to decide if any action is required."

Professor Paul Cosford, Public Health England director of health protection and medical director, said: "The ebola outbreak in West Africa was unprecedented and we are hugely grateful to all the volunteers who contributed at great personal risk, including our own staff.

"We support the judgment of the panel and wish Pauline Cafferkey well with her ongoing recovery and for her future."

Following the hearing, Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon tweeted: "Sending my very best wishes to Pauline Cafferkey. Her bravery is an inspiration to all of us."