Based on a Freedom of Information request and court costs observed in 2018 – these costs were worked out on the rates given below:

30 day FtP hearing (part 1 )  – panel costs                    £43,800

– case presenter               £77,450 adjourned to part 2

10 day FtP hearing (part 2)  – panel costs                      £14,600

– case presenter                £24,150 adjourned to part 3

10 day FtP hearing ( part 3 ) – panel costs                  £14,600

– case presenter                £24,150

Total cost                                 £193,750

This midwife showed an incredible amount of insight during this whole process. She described it as a learning event in itself – tackling each part as a way of learning about the process, educating herself on what was needed and providing day-by-day additional information that was required to defend her case. She was amazed at how ill-prepared she was even with this and without the support of colleagues and peers and an extremely good barrister the case outcome may have been very different.

At the end of this mammoth 50-day process, she was found to have no clinical misconduct. The main witness for the NMC lost or failed to download 10 pages of clinical notes which resulted in many charges being dropped before the defence had begun. The registrant, on the other hand, was able to provide actual evidence to rebuke the charges.

As an independent midwife, she is extremely aware that she holds a vulnerable position in the role she works. This is not her first referral but she is confident in her practice and knows that if in front of the NMC, she will be able to prove her expertise and expert practice once again.

So, just because FtP is allowed to occur doesn’t always make it correct.

Was this really the best way of handling this case?

The HUGE amount that it cost to hear the case itself equates to 1,615 registrant’s annual fees – which ultimately pay for this process.

With midwives, in particular, being under immense strain and with the issues taking experienced midwives out of the workplace being well-publicised we think there must be a better way to deal with this kind of referral.

If you agree – please sign our petition.