A HOSPITAL chief executive says she "deeply regrets" a seven-year delay between the tragic death of a baby and a disciplinary hearing into the two midwives involved in his care.

Jackie Daniel, the chief executive of the trust that runs Furness General Hospital, made the comment after misconduct allegations were finally proven against Barrow midwives Lindsey Biggs and Holly Parkinson on Tuesday.

A panel of Nursing and Midwifery Council experts found the pair had caused Dalton newborn Joshua Titcombe to lose a significant chance of survival after his birth in October 2012.

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Mrs Daniel, who took over the reins to the University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation Trust in 2013, said: "It has taken seven long years to get to this point, and that is much too long.

"The midwives should have been referred to the NMC sooner and the cases should have been dealt with more quickly.

"We deeply regret the impact this delay has had on James, Hoa and their family who were already dealing with the grief of losing Joshua."

Mrs Daniel explained a series of improvements had been made within maternity services at the hospital to prevent a similar tragedy from ever unfolding again - including earlier investigations and referral to the NMC.

She added: "We are now reviewing the information from the NMC Fitness to Practice hearings, and will take any further action as appropriate."

The NMC upheld four charges of misconduct against Ms Biggs and three against Ms Parkinson over failures in the care they provided to little Joshua as he battled a treatable infection.

The infant later died, aged nine days old, from pneumococcal septicaemia and a lung haemorrhage.

The pair are now awaiting a hearing to find out whether they will be permanently struck off the Nursing and Midwifery Council register over the incident.

But following the ruling this week, national nursing chiefs have now slapped Ms Biggs with an 18 month suspension order over the separate death of another baby at the hospital in March this year.

The regulatory body will begin an investigation into the newest case before deciding whether to convene another disciplinary hearing.

Last month, the Evening Mail revealed Ms Biggs had been sacked by hospital bosses over her involvement in the case after independent experts declared her conduct had fallen 'fundamentally below' acceptable standards.

In a statement, a spokesman for the industry regulator said: "The NMC recently received a new fitness to practise referral for Lindsey Biggs from University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation Trust, following her dismissal after an internal disciplinary process.

"As a result of this referral, an interim order hearing has taken place and the panel has imposed an 18 month interim suspension order while we take the necessary steps to investigate this new case as a matter of urgency.

"As there are ongoing proceedings, it would be inappropriate for us to comment further."