Central News
A woman who was dubbed 'Britain's worst midwife' has been stuck off following a string of blunders which included dropping a baby on its head and nearly electrocuting a mum-to-be in a birthing pool.
Diana Warwick, 56, from Cumbria, has been struck off following a hearing with the Nursing and Midwifery Council which began in May 2011, and following a break, resumed earlier this year in April.
Ms Warwick denied all of the charges against her, but was described as 'grossly negligent' by the NMC panel, who said she had a 'dangerous lack of concern for those under her care' and a 'lack of responsibility towards others'.
She went into a new mum's bag and used her deodorant whilst she was recovering from a C-section, polished her shoes with baby wipes and screamed 'push!' in a pregnant woman's face.
The panel also heard that she had, on one occasion, been pushing a baby along in a cot when it fell out, landing face down on the floor. She was also caught driving without valid car insurance on a number of occasions.
Speaking at the hearing, Andrew Coleman, the panel chair, said: "The panel has had regard to the serious nature of its findings, which included causing a baby to fall out of a plastic cot and using an electric CTG monitor to record the baby's heart rate whilst providing midwifery care to a woman in labour in a birthing pool.
"In addition, the panel takes a serious view of Ms Warwick's conduct in repeatedly driving a car without insurance over a prolonged period, which forms the basis of her conviction.
"The panel considers that these matters, taken collectively, raise serious concerns regarding the protection of members of the public and the maintenance of public confidence in the profession and the NMC.
"The panel has concluded that the findings against Ms Warwick are so serious that to allow her to continue to practice as a nurse would present a risk to members of the public and would undermine public confidence in the profession and the NMC as its regulatory body."
Ms Warwick argued that she had been distracted by her mother's ill health at the time of the blunders, which took place between May 2005 and April 2006. She now has 28 days to appeal the council's decision.
The NMC has imposed an 18-month interim suspension order to stop her practising during this time.
Obviously this midwife's actions are extraordinary. What was your experience like with your midwife?