Midwives 'not trained to properly interpret heart rate scans'

Three midwives are facing misconduct charges relating to work at the Princess Elizabeth Hospital

Most of Guernsey's midwives had not been fully trained on how to properly interpret heart rate scans of unborn babies, a tribunal heard.

Three of the island's midwives are said to have failed to act when monitors showed a baby was dying in the womb.

Lisa Granville, Antonia Manousaki and Tuija Roussel worked at Princess Elizabeth Hospital when 'Baby A' was born in January 2014.

The desperately ill baby required resuscitation and later died.

Only 17 of 38 midwives registered in Guernsey in 2014 had completed additional training, which includes how to interpret and record CTG traces, the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) heard.

'May have been prevented'

A subsequent investigation revealed similar concerns about another child, 'Baby B', who died in September 2012.

Ms Granville reviewed both cases and wrongly concluded no further action was necessary.

The NMC claim that had the death of Baby B been adequately investigated, the death of Baby A "may have been prevented".

Ms Roussel was one of the midwives who did not receive additional training.

The NMC claims that had the death of one baby been adequately investigated, the other may have survived

She is accused of failing to seek a review of Baby A's mother's condition after a 'suspicious' CTG trace and administering Syntocinon - a drug used to facilitate childbirth - without a written prescription, which she denies.

Midwives can only take the decision to administer Syntocinon after a baby has been safely born, to help deliver the placenta, the tribunal heard.

The NMC claims the drug was administered before 'Baby A' was born, without referral to a consultant.

Ms Granville admits failing to identify inadequate midwifery care and that her investigation into the death of Baby A was inadequate. She denies all other charges.

Ms Manousaki admits administering Syntocinon without a written prescription but denies failing to challenge a culture of midwives acting outside the scope of their practice.

Ms Roussel admits administering Syntocinon without a written prescription and participating in inappropriate working practices.

The hearing continues.