Charge

The Tribunal considered a charge of professional misconduct laid by the Director of Proceedings against Ms Tracey Jayne Goff, Midwife of Palmerston North (the Midwife).

The charge alleged that the Midwife:

1. Failed to take appropriate steps to assess her patient for pre-eclampsia including;
   1. rechecking the patient's blood pressure (BP) during an appointment or later that day; and/or
   2. arranging a follow-up appointment to recheck her BP; and/or
   3. arranging for her patient to have blood tests completed; and/or
   4. arranging for her patient to have urinalysis completed; and/or
2. Failed to discuss and/or recommend to her patient in accordance with the Ministry of Health Guidelines for Consultation with Obstetric and Related Medical Services (the Referral Guidelines) that she have a consultation with a specialist; and/or
3. Following a text message from her patient the following day where she reported further symptoms of pre-eclasmia including visual disturbance and/or headaches, failed to arrange an assessment to check for pre-eclasmia; and/or
4. Following a BP recording 167/97, failed to discuss and/or recommend to the patient, in line with the Reference Guidelines, that she have a consultation with a specialist; and/or
5. After the BP recording of 167/97 and/or despite the recent history of symptoms of a pre-eclasmia including mild oedema and 2kg weight gain over a one week period, failed to have her patient assessed for pre-eclasmia; and/or
6. After a BP recording of 188/106 and/or 170/108 and/or the patient being observed as being pale and/or feeling faint, failed to make a 777 emergency page and/or ring the emergency call bell in the birthing suite.

After the events as alleged above, the patient made a complaint to the Health and Disability Commissioner which resulted in the Midwifery Council requiring the Midwife to undergo a Competency Review which took place on 20 April 2015.  This resulted in the Midwife being suspended from practice pending successful completion of a full formal assessment against the Competencies for Entry to the Register of Midwives and a "suitable remedial programme of education".

The hearing before the Tribunal proceeed by way of an Agreed Summary of Facts.

Finding

The charge was admitted by the Midwife and she admitted it was of sufficient severity to warrant disciplinary sanction.  The Tribunal is obliged under the HPCA Act to reach its own conclusion in relation to liabilty and it found the charge was established and that her conduct constituted professional misconduct.

Penalty

The Tribunal ordered the Midwife be censured and placed conditions on her practice for a period of 3 years once her suspension is lifted by the Midwifery Council.  The Tribunal also recommended that the Midwife undergo formal counselling and take advantage of any advice and assistance that may be given to her.

The Midwife was ordered to pay costs of $9,000 and was declined permanent suppression of her name.

The Tribunal directed publication of its decision and a summary.