Nurse struck off by General Medical Council for filming neglect of patients wins appeal

A nurse who was struck off the register for secretly filming care for the elderly at a Brighton hospital has won her battle to return to work.

The High Court approved a settlement between Margaret Haywood and the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC).

The striking-off order imposed in April this year will be replaced with a one-year caution, which means she can now work as a nurse.

Ms Haywood filmed at the Royal Sussex Hospital for a BBC Panorama programme.

Footage from Ms Haywood's filming was broadcast in July 2005 and showed examples of neglect, including an elderly patient sitting in clothes he had soiled the night before.

The Nursing and Midwifery Council found her guilty of misconduct during a fitness to practise hearing and she appealed in May.

Ms Haywood, from Liverpool, said she was delighted with the verdict.

"Losing my registration after 25 years as a nurse was devastating," she said.

"I have been overwhelmed and humbled by the patient and public interest in my case and would like to thank everyone who has supported me, including the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) for running my appeal.

Full article BBC News

Other posts on this blog about Margaret Haywood

Some medical staff are struck off for secretly filming neglect and abuse in the NHS.

But Dr Gerry McCann, who is suspected of neglect and concealment of his own child's body, has the approval of the NHS to film - as long as it's for personal reasons.

And a doctor can work in the NHS even if suspected of paedophilia.

At Leicester Hospital, anyway.

Funny old world.

Well done Margaret!

Taxpayers face big bills for dealing with GP's misconduct

Denis Campbell, health correspondent
guardian.co.uk, Monday 11 May 2009

Family doctors accused of misconduct are being suspended from treating patients for up to four and a half years and costing taxpayers as much as £900,000 for each case, the NHS has revealed.

The disclosures have sparked demands for the doctors' disciplinary system to be speeded up so more money can be spent on frontline health services and less on paying GPs barred from working.

Figures provided by primary care trusts (PCTs) in England show that 134 GPs have been suspended over the last three years at a cost of £8.2m. That only takes into account their pay – any suspended GP receives 90% of their normal salary – so the real costs to the PCTs will be higher, including the costs of hiring replacements and pursuing the complaints.

The details, obtained by the Liberal Democrats under the Freedom of Information Act from 108 of England's 152 PCTs, have been passed to the Guardian.

Norman Lamb, the party's health spokesman, said: "These figures are scandalous, involve a huge waste of public money and show that the system of pursuing allegations against doctors is failing."

Full article in the Guardian
'Scandal' of £1.2m for suspended NHS staff

Some misconduct, though, is fully supported by the NHS and GMC

Doctor David Payne, Leicester Royal Infirmary, suspected of paedophilia

Dr Gerry McCann, Glenfield Hospital, suspected of neglect, involvement in his own daughter's death, concealment of her body and fraudulently obtaining millions of pounds from the general public to help pay his mortgage

Tiffany Manser, Head of Communications UHL, supports Gerry McCann's use of hospital address for fraudulent fund

Dr Allan Cole, Medical Director, UHL

Whistleblower nurse Margaret Haywood found guilty of misconduct for filming elderly patient neglect

Margaret Haywood, guilty of misconduct

Nurse struck off by NHS for filming neglected patients

‘Nursing staff scared to speak out’

A NURSE struck off for secretly filming the neglect of patients has called for a review of how the NHS deals with nurses who speak out.

Margaret Haywood, who broke down in tears as she was struck off after a hearing of the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC), said she was “absolutely devastated” by the decision.

She insisted that filming the neglect of patients at the Royal Sussex Hospital in Brighton for a Panorama programme in July 2005 was the right thing to do.

But the NMC panel told the 58-year-old, who has worked as a nurse for more than 20 years, that the filming was a “major breach” of the profession’s code and “it would not be in the public interest for her to be able to practise as a nurse”.

Speaking after the hearing Ms Haywood, of Liverpool, said: “It is a serious issue and I knew it was a risk, but the filming was in the public interest.

“NHS nurses are afraid to speak out about patient neglect and the whole process needs to be reviewed so nurses can make it easier to voice their concerns.”

Ms Haywood, who was found guilty of misconduct yesterday, said she had “owed it to the people on the ward” to expose the patient’s neglect with the filming.
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Source: Evening Express
Related: Whistleblower nurse considers High Court appeal
Axed for exposing NHS filth

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Some NHS staff don't get struck off no matter what crimes they commit

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