BBC defends undercover nurse as NMC probes confidentiality breach

15 April, 2009

Revealing the neglect of elderly patients had `an over-arching public interest`, a BBC documentary producer has told a NMC fitness-to-practise panel.

For that reason, an undercover nurse, Margaret Haywood, 58, was used to film secretly at the Royal Sussex Hospital for a BBC Panorama documentary programme.

Ms Haywood, from Liverpool and a nurse for more than 20 years, had obtained nursing shifts at the hospital, and has admitted breaching patient confidentiality.

Elizabeth Bloor, producer of Undercover Nurse, screened in 2005 on Panorama, told the NMC hearing that seeking permission and filming openly would not have uncovered the true conditions.

She said: `We needed to see what was really happening, so we felt our only option really was to ask somebody to go undercover on a ward and that person really should be a nurse.

`Given that most of the complaints we had were to do with medical care, we thought that would be an appropriate route.`

Ms Bloor had earlier described how there were bloodstains on the hospital’s curtains that had not been washed in months, and faeces left on the ward floor.

Dr Karen Johnson, for Ms Haywood, said her client had to balance the ‘two competing duties’ of the rights of her patients and the responsibility of demonstrating the hospital’s problems for the benefit of future patients.

The case was adjourned until Wednesday, when the panel will retire to consider its verdict.

Readers' comments (6)

Anonymous | 15-Apr-2009 11:30 pm
Protecting patients life and giving them quality care is paramount compared to protecting identity all the time. What about all the identity and privacy of citizens in the UK that was lost via postal service. Has anyone arrested and questioned the people concerned. Hello???
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Julie Wickham | 16-Apr-2009 11:37 pm
I am not a nurse but I felt I had to comment on what Margaret Haywood as done. She has done the right thing. The point is she has highlighted this terrible situation and whether you disagree with the way she went about it, if it was my elderly relative - I would want someone to stand up for them.

Her union should have supported her!
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Anonymous | 19-Apr-2009 7:16 am
I fully support the actions of Margaret Haywood. There are too many hospital wards in similar situations and it is time that it came to light. Even when we do complain still nothing is done to support staff. Wards need more nursing staff in order to be able to deliver just a basic level of care!
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Anonymous | 21-Apr-2009 11:17 pm
Absolutely. I concur. RCN's got a petition. First I've ever known. What are we paying them for?
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Anonymous | 22-Apr-2009 10:10 am
I am disgusted at the treatment of Margaret Hayward. She should be commended for exposing appalling standards of care. She was acting in the patients and the publics best interest and I would urge more nurses to do the same.
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Anonymous | 13-May-2009 2:23 pm
I am appealing to the panel/ jury to make the best decision about this case. I am a Nurse too and a victim of poor management myself and incompetent Manager and decided to quit my job coz I believe in a better system and wont tolerate any malpractice or low standard of care. I need my job to support myself but my principles/beliefs is more important for me than my monthly payslip and food on the table. Dignity and self-respect are more important than physical law. Life without them is meaningless, it is the very essence of our existence! Life is not only about laws but how we deal with each other. We dont make laws and ignore them afterwards but instead put them in our hearts to guard and protect them.......That is the best place where it should be!!! We must do a lot of listening and less judgment, more caring than leading. We cannot be a leader if we dont know how to be a follower and a public servant.

We need God's guidance and wisdom to reach the right decision coz power and authority comes from God alone and therefore come with great responsibilities!

Madam Heart
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