Bungling midwife is suspended

Yvonne Thomas, 58, recorded the four-day-old tot had a low temperature, was feeling cold and sluggish and had not been fed for 18 hours.

But instead of rushing him to hospital immediately she told the family another midwife would be back to check on him later.

When the second midwife failed to turn up the boy's anxious parents took him to hospital themselves where he was diagnosed with the condition and a possible infection, the Nursing and Midwifery Council heard.

The baby could have died if he had received treatment any later, the hearing was told.

Two further incidents in 2003 and 2006 led to the East Sussex Hospitals NHS Trust carrying out an investigation into the midwife's conduct.

In July 2003 Thomas failed to provide appropriate care to a mother who gave birth to twins.

She did not arrange for a consultation when the mother was between 12 and 20 weeks pregnant despite her being classed as high risk.

And after the babies were delivered at home Thomas went against trust policy and failed to accompany the mother to hospital, stating she was 'tired' and wanted a shower.

She further failed to make accurate notes, in particular before carrying out an abdominal examination of the mother.

Thomas took early retirement following the incident.

But she continued to work on a supply basis until April 2006 when a mother had to have an emergency caesarean after Thomas failed to spot her baby's heart beat was faltering.

Thomas was 'very angry' when she was told to practice under supervision and was later sacked.

At a disciplinary hearing this week she was found guilty of eight charges of misconduct and the panel ruled she should be suspended for one year.

Chair Jim Spencer said: "The registrant's failures in practice could have caused harm to the mothers and babies in her care.

"The fact the registrant repeated failures of practice of a similar nature calls into doubt her capacity to learn from her mistakes. This appears to result from her lack of insight into her shortcomings and the consequences to those in her care.

"We have decided that the appropriate and proportionate sanction in this case is a suspension order for 12 months.

"Whilst the registrant's misconduct was serious, we do not consider that it to be irremediable or fundamentally incompatible with her being registered as a midwife.'

Thomas did not attend the central London hearing. In a letter to the NMC she has said she no longer wishes to work as a midwife after more than 30 years in the profession.