23 May 2013

Former midwife found guilty of misconduct

8:23 pm on 23 May 2013

A former Whanganui midwife who practised without a proper certificate has been found guilty of professional misconduct.

Cheryl Baker has appeared before a Health Practitioners Disciplinary Tribunal in Whanganui this week charged with acting unprofessionally.

She was accused of failing to complete required training after a neonatal death and not properly handing over clients when she quit being a midwife in 2010.

The lawyer acting for the Professional Conduct Committee said she had brought the midwifery profession into disrepute and compromised her patients' health and safety.

The tribunal has ruled that if Ms Baker goes back to midwifery, she must be supervised for 18 months.

Ms Baker, who is now a nurse, has also been ordered to pay tribunal costs of $12,500.