Midwife failed to act, hearing told

Yvonne Thomas, 58, of Bexhill, recorded the four-day-old had a low temperature, was feeling cold and sluggish and had not been fed for 18 hours. But instead of rushing him to hospital she told the family another midwife would be back to check on him later, it was said.

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. East Sussex NHS Trust investigated the matter and decided to put Thomas on a learning contract for a year, which she completed. But problems arose again in July 2003, when Thomas allegedly failed to provide appropriate care to a mother who gave birth to twins.

It was said she failed to arrange for the mother to be referred to have a consultation when she was between 12 and 20 weeks pregnant despite her being high risk. 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, it is claimed.

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

Thomas took early retirement following the incident, which was again investigated by the trust.

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

Thomas is charged with failing to admit Baby A to hospital and making inappropriate records in his notes on February 8, 2001; failing to act in accordance with trust policy in relation to mother B by not arranging a consultation between 12 and 20 weeks gestation; failing to accompany her to hospital on July 20, 2003; failing to make contemporaneous notes, in particular before carrying out an abdominal examination on mother B; and failing to provide an adequate level of care to mother C by not taking appropriate action when there were decelerations in the foetal heart rate on the night of April 4/5, 2006.

The midwife is not attending the central London hearing.

If found guilty of misconduct she could be struck off. The hearing continues.