A BARROW midwife heavily criticised for her role in a national maternity scandal was handed thousands of pounds in hospital funds as part of a 'very irregular' pay off deal when she agreed to leave her job.
A leaked document reveals former Furness General Hospital maternity risk manager Jeanette Parkinson was 'significantly overpaid' when she left the trust in charge of Barrow's maternity unit by 'mutual agreement' in 2012.
The midwife, who had clocked up 34 years service at the Dalton Lane hospital, held a senior supervisory position within the department while 11 babies and one mother were found to have died as a direct result of poor care.
A subsequent inquiry by Dr Bill Kirkup - named the Morecambe Bay Investigation - concluded the deaths had sparked a series of cover ups permeating through the NHS.
RELATED ARTICLE: Sacked Barrow midwife faces fitness to practice hearing
A new and independent investigation into the death of Dalton newborn Joshua Titcombe, launched this year by bosses within the University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Trust, has now brought to light the unusual details of a 'compromise agreement' negotiated between former UHMBT HR director Roger Wilson and Ms Parkinson.
The contract provided the 'musketeer midwife' with redundancy pay, three months salary in lieu of notice and money for an additional 480 hours of 'unchallenged' work - along with an agreement that she would escape a review of her performance - all in exchange for her departure.
The report states: "The evidence gathered points towards this being a knee-jerk reaction to the media and
regulatory interest, but it is difficult to say based on the limited records available."
It adds: "While the exit was classified as a Mutually Agreed Resignation Scheme, it was managed wholly outwith the standard MARS process."
Jackie Daniel, UHMBT chief executive, today described the deal as 'irregular' and 'not normal', adding she was committed to ensuring accountability from anyone involved.
She has now passed on the information to the Nursing and Midwifery Council as well as government health watchdog the Care Quality Commission.
Mrs Daniel said: "There are clauses that are inserted which are not normal.
"It is irregular in terms of the additional money paid and very irregular in terms of no governance process being followed.
"I am desperately disappointed that we have got a midwife here who was not investigated by the trust and that was a massive missed opportunity. "We have taken this report through our board to satisfy myself this couldn’t happen under current arrangements and I am satisfied that it wouldn’t."
Mrs Daniel added: "I want to make sure this is followed up.
"I think it is really important.
"My primary concern is that we do get to the bottom of this and I’d like to think regulators make sure every action that needs to be taken is taken and there is accountability."
RELATED ARTICLE: Midwives failed in their care of baby Joshua, experts rule
In the course of the Morecambe Bay Investigation, Dr Kirkup found emails from Ms Parkinson which referred to her midwifery colleagues as 'the musketeers' for their 'all for one' approach to outside criticism.
She was also found to have provided 'model answers' to midwives involved in the care of Joshua Titcombe ahead of an inquest into his death - an action condemned by then coroner for south and east Cumbria; Ian Smith.
Mr Wilson, who voluntarily co-operated with the trust's internal investigation into Joshua's death, is now HR director for Warrington and Halton Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.
A spokesman from WHHT said: "While we are in receipt of the investigatory report from UHMBT we have not received the supplementary legal opinion referred to therein on whether there are grounds for a referral to the CQC Fit and Proper Person Panel.
"We are requesting this.
"We are aware however that the CQC has been provided with a copy of the report and we have been requested to attend a meeting with them to discuss this on the 14th November."
READ MORE: Police to review new information linked to death of Dalton baby
READ MORE: Kirkup blasts 'deficient' process used to clear 'musketeer' midwives at Barrow hospital
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