Independent audit to review the NMC’s handling of documentation relating to midwives at Furness General Hospital (September 2019)

Summary

Concern was raised about a number of deaths at Furness General Hospital leading to the establishment of the Morecambe Bay Investigation in September 2013, led by Dr Bill Kirkup.

In May 2018 the Professional Standards Agency published a ‘Lessons Learned Review’ into the handling of concerns relating to the fitness to practise of nurses in Furness General Hospital (now part of the University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation Trust) by the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC). Amongst other issues, the report identified problems with the handling of a document produced by the father of one of the babies who died at Furness General Hospital. In August 2018, the NMC commissioned Verita to carry out an independent audit to review the way the NMC handled the chronology. The audit was asked to focus on the NMC’s systems and processes in order to establish what happened to the chronology and to identify learning for the NMC from the case.

Verita is a consultancy specialising in the management and conduct of investigations, reviews and inquiries. Peter Killwick and Kieran Seale carried out the investigation which was supported by Bethany Simpson.