Lansley’s experiment with the NHS must never be repeatedWhistleblowing nurse Margaret Haywood reinstated
Margaret Haywood, a nurse who had been struck off for whistleblowing and exposing her concerns over poor standards of care, has described herself as ‘absolutely delighted’ to have been reinstated on the register.
Margaret Haywood was removed from the nursing register for misconduct in April, after filming the neglect of elderly patients for a television documentary.
But the Royal College of Nursing and the Nursing and Midwifery Council settled on a softer punishment for the 59-year-old at the High Court. The striking off order was replaced with a one-year caution.
Ms Haywood, from Liverpool, said: “I’ve been a nurse for 25 years so losing my registration and not being able to get a job was heartbreaking. I was determined to get it back and it was very difficult, but I had the support of my family, friends, the RCN and others.”
Ms Haywood admitted breaching patient confidentiality but said she felt she was justified in whistleblowing for the Panorama investigation and had agreed to film at the Royal Sussex Hospital in Brighton to highlight terrible conditions.
Ms Haywood added: “The only regret I have is that the only way to get something done about the complaints which were received was to investigate and expose them.”
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Readers' comments (23)
Anonymous | 13-Oct-2009 1:09 pm
Finally! The right decision prevailed! It was just common sense to re-instate her after the ridiculous earlier decision.
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Anonymous | 13-Oct-2009 1:14 pm
Wonderful news. Well done Margaret.
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Anonymous | 13-Oct-2009 2:05 pm
At last! Would like to say that I'm thrilled about this decision and while I absolutely support this outcome the tragedy is that it was necessary in the first place. The original decision was a travesty and has left many nurses feeling thoroughly unsupported by their governing body and unable to represent the needs of their patients. Congratulations Margaret!
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pam fry | 13-Oct-2009 2:22 pm
I am very pleased the NMC has changed its stance in this case. Shame on the NHS management team involved for not dealing with the situation effectively in the first place. I am sure its not the first or the last time first line registered nurses will have to put their necks on the block to expose poor governance in the work place. This nurse should be awarded an OBE!
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Anonymous | 13-Oct-2009 2:35 pm
..and justice is done! Let this be a warning to all organisations who are knowingly running sub standard services and expecting their staff to work in and tolerate such conditions.
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Anonymous | 13-Oct-2009 3:18 pm
Finally! The right decision prevailed! It was just common sense to re-instate her after the ridiculous earlier decision.
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Anonymous | 13-Oct-2009 4:30 pm
Yes, sanity has prevailed but what of Margaret - What has she been through?
I wish her all the best for her future and hope that we as nurses can learn to support each other and our patients better in future.
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George Kuchanny | 13-Oct-2009 7:25 pm
well done Margaret!
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Anonymous | 13-Oct-2009 9:07 pm
Well, well, I wonder what influenced "the great and the good" at the NMC? Perhaps they read all the comments and petitions in support of her actions - and I hope feel thoroughly ashamed for that horrendously unfair decision they made initially. However, I agree with the other person in asking "What about Margaret?" O.K. she's been reinstated, but at 59 what are the chances of her now getting a permenant post? We all know about the 'old boy network' that operates in the eschelons of the NHS - is her card marked? And not in a good way? I'd employ her - but then again I'm one of the simple frontline nursing staff who can't possibly be trusted with a decision like that despite doing the job for 34 years!!!!
Nevertheless, CONGRATULATIONS MARGARET - nursing and the NHS need more people like you!!!
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Anonymous | 13-Oct-2009 9:36 pm
The front cover of the latest edition of the NMC says "Do the right thing" "The NMC wants to support nurses compelled to report malpractice." I suppose if they want to do that they had no choice but to reinstate Margaret, and rightly so too.
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Anonymous | 13-Oct-2009 10:48 pm
I am really happy for her, but after the witch hunt she has been through I am even more in awe of her for wanting to go back at all. I think I would be telling the trust where to stick a few choice things.
I wonder if the managers will face the same level of witch hunt now?
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Stuart Sorensen | 14-Oct-2009 9:21 am
Someone asked what influenced the NMC. I think the clue is in the original piece. The decision was made in the High Court.
I wasn't there, of course, but this usually means that they realised that they were on sticky ground and the QCs struck a deal that all parties could agree to. That's generally seen as preferable to a protracted case with an inevitable conclusion.
Cheers
Stuart
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tim stokes CAMHS | 14-Oct-2009 2:24 pm
while i appreciate what Stuart has said i sruggle to accept that as an acceptable stance for the NMC to take under any circumstance.
it would be nice to think they supported the whistleblowing that challenged the organisational dseficiences. and isnt it the case that if a clinical problem does arise the staff that don't stand up to raise early concerns will be found culpable
if you think about child protection as an example not acting is a choice that makes you professionally vulnerable. ward short of staff.....
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VASILEIOS GRIGORIOU | 14-Oct-2009 9:19 pm
As a nurse registered with NMC and ENE ( the regulatory body for Greek nurses ) I want to thank Margaret Haywood for her fight against poor care standards and congratulate her on her reinstatement on the register. I also want to thank all the nurses, doctors and other people from all over the world who have morally supported Margaret Haywood by signing the on-line petition, sending letters to the NMC etc. and thus have helped her to win her reinstatement on the register of her country and in the global nursing community.
Raise your head, Margaret, and take courage, for your colleagues from all over the world have and will always have been adoring and supporting you.
With all my love,support and admiration
Vasileios Grigoriou.
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Anonymous | 15-Oct-2009 11:25 am
Where will the next "whistle blower" come from.
I think the NMC has helped to totally undermine any confidence nurses may have had in whistleblowing policies and procedures.
They should have supported this nurse, not struck her off.
What a waste of our hard-earned money, and who at the NMC will be held accountable for this travesty?
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Anonymous | 15-Oct-2009 6:16 pm
Congratulations to Margaret but amidst the general rejoicing there are a number of disturbing issues to be addressed
Who at the NMC will be held individually accountable for their actions - their incompetence and arrant stupidity - which led to Ms Haywood being removed from the Register in the first place and the huge waste of resoures?
The sudden decision taken at the High Court smells like someone or some persons were anxious to avoid having their actions held up and ridiculed in a very public forum.
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Anonymous | 16-Oct-2009 2:57 am
I hope this backdown by the NMC came with an apology and that the NMC will pay compensation to Margaret.
Anonymous. (Sadly, this is the way it has to be now due to the behaviour of the NMC)
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Enid Martland | 16-Oct-2009 5:13 pm
At last some common sense. Congratulations Margaret you must be over the monn But how sad it has to come to this The same old story everywhere of trusts not supporting their staff It is a disgrace. We need more caring nurses like you in the NHS Im retiring in December and it cant come quick enough.All the best for the future Margaret x
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Ros Gamblin | 17-Oct-2009 6:21 pm
How ironic that the latest NMC magazine trail blazes their new policy on Whistleblowing. What a cheek, I had to check that the date of thier publication was not April 1st.
How they have the gall to take the moral highground when the NMC have failed so miserably in Margret Haywood's case. I would not trust the NMC and their mealy mouthed stance, the contributors look very foolish in how they delibrately avoided mentioning Margaret's name.
I am delighted that she has her registration back and would be proud to have have her as a colleague.
A fulsome apology is needed for the NMC to gain credibility and I hope some compensation too for tarnishing Margaret's reputation.
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Anonymous | 18-Oct-2009 8:50 am
I am a registered nurse of nearly 40 years standing. I am glad that the MNC have seen sense and reinstated Margaret to the register. She was only trying to look after old people who cannot speak for themselves. I hope now she can return to work and feel able to whistleblow again without the risk of losing her registration. Good luck Margaret!!
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