Former Guernsey health director struck off following baby death

A former senior manager with Guernsey's Health Department has been struck off following the death of a baby at the island's maternity ward.

Jacqueline Gallienne was the director of Guernsey's Health and Social Services Department. It oversees nursing standards at the Princess Elizabeth Hospital.

The child, known as Baby A, was born on 30th January 2014 but died later that day.

The case has prompted a four-week hearing by the Nursing and Midwifery council in London, where three midwives under Mrs Gallienne's supervision are also accused of misconduct. That hearing has now been adjourned until July.

Today the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) concluded Mrs Gallienne failed to investigate serious incidents.

It also ruled she did not stop nurses administering the drug Syntocinon in the Baby A case, without consulting a doctor.

The drug is used to induce labor.

Martyn Griffiths, chairing the panel at the NMC, said Gallienne's "inadequate management" put "patients at unwarranted risk of harm".

Mrs Gallienne, who was not present at the hearing, admitted to all of the NMC's charges.

She was struck off the register with an interim suspension order of 18 months and has 28 days to appeal the decision.