A DEVASTATED father has hit out at the 'slap on the wrist' punishment dished out to a midwife found to have provided poor care to his baby son before he died.
Little Joshua Titcombe lost his life aged nine days old in 2008 after Furness General Hospital midwife Holly Parkinson failed to refer his low temperature to a doctor or properly monitor his condition.
Now, the infant's father, James Titcombe, says the loss of the little boy has been a life sentence for him and his family, while describing the sanction given to Ms Parkinson by the Nursing and Midwifery Council - a nine-month suspension order - as 'farcical'.
RELATED ARTICLE: Barrow midwife banned for nine months after failing to care for newborn baby who later died
In an interview with the Evening Mail, patient safety campaigner Mr Titcombe said: "It is a disgrace.
"The loss of Joshua in the way we did is like a life sentence for us.
"A suspension order is a slap on the wrist and seems completely inappropriate given the consequences of the failings in care he received."
Last week, a panel of experts appointed by the NMC, the body responsible for regulating the practice of nurses and midwives across the UK, ruled Holly Parkinson's fitness to practise was impaired over her role in Joshua's care at Barrow's disgraced maternity unit.
It followed a formal hearing in July that concluded the actions of Ms Parkinson had caused Joshua to lose a significant chance of survival - with repeated chances that could have saved him missed.
NMC panel chairman Stuart Gray said the midwife was 'evasive, controlled and detached' as she recounted the care she provided to Joshua and that she was 'still in a state of denial' about what had happened.
But instead of being struck off, Ms Parkinson, who was revealed to have been working as FGH's quality and safety midwife for the past two years, was temporarily suspended for just nine months.
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Mr Titcombe added: "One of the most hurtful parts of the process has been the denial, dishonesty and lack of acceptance from those involved.
"What this shows is how absolutely useless the NMC is. It is not fit for purpose."
An NMC panel will reconvene in nine months to decide whether Ms Parkinson can return to practice.
A second midwife who was also found to have failed to provide proper care to the newborn - Lindsey Biggs - is set to appear before a fitness to practice panel in October.
Ms Biggs was sacked by FGH bosses in June for misconduct over her role the care of a baby who died at the unit in March this year.
She has been temporarily banned from practicing as a midwife anywhere in the country as a public protection measure while the case is investigated.
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