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Midwife struck off over mother’s septicaemia death

by
11 December 2008

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A midwife has been struck off the professional register after she failed to spot septicaemia in a new mother who later died from the infection.

After a series of failings were proven before a conduct and competence committee of the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC), Lucy Godwin was found guilty of professional misconduct.

When the 52-year-old visited a 23-year-old mother, refereed to as Patient A, at her home, she was found to have a pulse rate of 140 when it should have been 80, the committee heard.

She was also not producing breast milk, was hot and flushed and suffering from a tender abdomen.

Ms Godwin told Patient A, who had given birth four days earlier, she had a virus and to call her GP if her condition got worse. She died of multiple organ failure after being admitted to hospital the following day.

A suspension imposed by the Pembrokeshire and Derwen NHS Trust after the incident was later lifted and Ms Godwin was able to return to work under supervision.

But further incidents occurred, including incorrectly labelling blood samples, which raised concerns about her performance and led to her appearance before the NMC.

Copyright © Press Association 2008

Nursing and Midwifery Council