Linda Nazarko

Comment on: NMC defends decision to strike off undercover nurse Margaret Haywood.

Linda Nazarko's comment 18-Apr-2009 1:51 pm

Its a very difficult case. On the one hand yes the "care" was dreadful but did the ends justify the means? Margaret Haywood as a registered nurse went to work with a secret camera to film patients and staff. If I were ill and vulnerable I would not wish to be filmed covertly whatever the motives of the nurse. If I were asked to give permission for one of my relatives who was unable to give informed consent to show such things as were shown on the programme I would not give consent. I personally would consider my loved one's privacy and dignity in such circumstances to be of paramount importance. I don't know if I would give permission to show the film with the face digitally blacked out. The question I ask is would it be acceptable to covertly film younger people, maybe women on a delivery ward? When people are old they are more vulnerable than younger people. The older person may lack capacity because of delirium or dementia. The older person may feel that he or she has less power than a younger fitter person. I don't know if the NMC did the right thing. I do know that I think its wrong for programme makers to carry out secret filming of the sick and vulnerable and ask for permission after the event. Our society has become so desensitised to people's rights to privacy and dignity when they are so vulnerable. This is not a reality show it’s the sick and vulnerable in hospital. I'm not saying that we should sweep poor care under the carpet I'm just unhappy about it being used as programme fodder. I don’t think that this sends a message that we can not whistle blow. I have been nursing older people for 30 years and the same old problems keep coming up. It breaks my heart and the only way that we will ever make it better is to improve training, education and the status of nurses who care for older people. That will take more than a Panorama programme.