Morecambe Bay scandal: Nursing regulator 'Sorry we didn't listen'

The nursing regulator has apologised to families affected by the Morecambe Bay scandal admitting that it did not listen or act quickly enough on concerns raised about midwives.

Chairman of the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) Philip Graf told the Health Select Committee that gaps in what the regulator "did and didn't do" meant mothers and babies were put at risk.

The Committee is examining the NMC's handling of the midwives embroiled in the scandal where major care failures were linked to at least 12 deaths of mothers and babies at Furness General Hospital (FGH) between 2004 and 2012.

In an opening statement at the start of the hearing, Mr Graf said:

It comes after a damning report revealed how the NMC failed to act on information provided by the police for almost two years.

Poor record keeping, mishandling of bereaved families and lengthy and delayed investigations all feature in the Professional Standards Authority (PSA) report.

Days before the report was released in May, Jackie Smith announced she was stepping down as chief executive and registrar of the regulator.

The PSA report concluded that the length of time taken to deal with the cases is "an obvious concern" - it took more than eight years between the first complaint being received by the NMC and the final fitness to practise hearing for one of the midwives involved.

The delay meant that midwives who were later suspended or struck off the regulator's register continued to practise.

Meanwhile, the PSA said that the NMC lawyers did not identify key issues from information in its possession, not only from the families involved, but also from the police.

The panel of NMC officials were probed by MPs on the Health Committee as to why they didn't act on information supplied to them by police.

Cumbria Police told the PSA:

The police handed the NMC information highlighting concerns about the midwives they believed should be investigated. The NMC appeared to have taken no action on the list for almost two years after being given the information, the PSA report states.

Ms Smith told MPs:

She told MPs that in 2010 when she joined the organisation as director of fitness to practise, case officers were holding 200 to 300 cases each.

In 2012, the entire organisation was "failing" she added. She said the watchdog had "no money" which led to nurses and midwives having their registration fees increased.

Mr Graf told MPs:

But Mr Graf added:

Ms Smith, who leaves her role in a fortnight after six-and-a-half years at the helm of the organisation, added:

On her resignation, she added: