'Midwife not fit to be let loose'

AN 'UNSAFE' midwife is facing six charges of professional misconduct. Lynda Cantillon, 60, appeared yesterday before a Nursing & Midwifery Council professional conduct committee.

The charges relate to her employment as a Grade G midwife and ward manager on Loveridge Ward for the then Board of Health between February and September 2003.

At the hearing, LSA midwifery officer for the south-west region Valerie Beale said that after watching a video of a birth that Ms Cantillon oversaw, she became increasingly anxious. Angry parents were clear there had been almost no observations for about three hours on the mother and baby.

'I was becoming very concerned about her work. She did not turn up to the investigative meeting. I felt she was not conducting herself professionally,' she said.

'I felt she was not safe to be let loose. That is why I suspended her.'

Ms Cantillon had been practising as a midwife in the UK since 1994 before moving to the island.

Angry patients and staff raised serious concerns and criticisms about her work. A full investigation was launched into the deliveries of several babies she was involved with.

It resulted in the six charges being levelled and her suspension.

Babies and parents were left distressed, the hearing heard.

She was alleged to have failed to comply with Bailiwick of Guernsey water birth guidelines for midwives.

She later resigned.

The first charge related to a large baby, which weighed in at more than 11lbs, with the patient having a 'gaping' second-degree perineum tear she did not believe needed suturing.

The mother was left fearing becoming incontinent and worried about future childbirth and was left in discomfort for six months,' said consultant obstetrician and gynaecologist Heather Reed.

'She felt devastated that she had been herded through like a herd of cows.'

The board's policy on perineal tears had since been reviewed and minor changes made, the hearing heard.

Just over a month later, Ms Cantillon put a needle in another mother's thigh after diamorphine had already been administered by another midwife.

On other occasions, she failed to undertake necessary procedures set out in the board's policies, including not making maternal observations, not ensuring two midwives were present for delivery and not completing labour partograms 'progress charts'.

'A number of these failings are common over a number of months,' submitted UK barrister Nick Leale, presenting the case for the NMC.

The respondent had accepted her record-keeping was sparse and needed improving and a self-audit was recommended. She had delivered babies on her own in previous workplaces outside Guernsey.

Helen Kelso, head of midwifery services at the PEH, said that a water birth service had not been offered in Guernsey since 2003, although the health services were looking to offer it again soon.

It had been suspended for health and safety reasons.

Ms Cantillon did not appear at the hearing at St Pierre Park Hotel. The committee's ruling is expected later today.