A NATIONAL nursing organisation has refused to publish an external review of the way it handled the case of a midwife involved in the deaths of two babies.

Furness General Hospital midwife Lindsey Biggs was struck off last week over failures in the care she gave to Dalton newborn Joshua Titcombe in 2008 - causing him to lose a significant chance of survival.

While she was awaiting a disciplinary hearing over the tragedy, Ms Biggs was sacked from Barrow's maternity unit after being involved in the care of a second baby who died in March this year.

An investigation launched by the hospital concluded there were similarities between the two cases.

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But the Nursing and Midwifery Council has now refused to publish a review of the way it dealt with Ms Biggs after it allowed her to continue working in the unit after concerns over her practice were brought to light.

In July, the NMC stated the review would ensure any opportunities for learning were identified and implemented.

But the regulator, which decides whether nurses are safe to practise in the UK, has stated it now intends to keep the conclusion of the report secret despite a request for its disclosure under the Freedom of Information Act.

A spokesman for the NMC said: "We recognise and welcome public interest in the NMC and our investigations.

"We respond to a significant number of FoI requests each year and always strive to meet our duties in this important area.

"However, the Freedom of Information Act does allow for exemptions where non-disclosure of information may sometimes outweigh public interest.

"In this case, the information requested contained privileged legal advice and personal data relating to other individuals which would be inappropriate to be in the public domain."

They added: "This review was carried out by an external senior independent barrister who was asked to look at the material we held at each stage of the case progression, and review our assessment of risk against the legal criteria for an interim order.

"In short, his conclusion was that at no stage during the numerous reviews and investigations which took place was the threshold for applying for and imposing an interim order passed."

The decision to withhold the contents of the report has been blasted by Joshua Titcombe's father; James Titcombe, MBE, who claims the NMC is seeking to protect its own reputation ahead of the public interest.

Mr Titcombe said: "Considering that the review relates to the handling of a case whereby two babies died, it is shocking that a public organisation can avoid any external scrutiny regarding its actions and even refuse to disclose its own review.

"This is the latest in a very long string of examples of the NMC behaving in a defensive and unacceptable way."

Mr Titcombe added: "I have not been able to understand why the NMC did not take action to investigate Ms Biggs earlier.

"This is something I have challenged the NMC about repeatedly over the years, arguing that their failure to do so was putting lives at risk.

"The NMC did eventually take action but this action was taken only after another baby died where similar failures in care were identified."

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The Nursing and Midwifery Council came under fire earlier this year for opting to withhold the details of allegations against nurses and midwives until the date of their hearing.

The move has led to criticism that the organisation is reducing its transparency and openness to public scrutiny.

Ms Biggs was identified as a member of a band of midwives who referred to themselves as the Musketeers in the Morecambe Bay Investigation Report by patient safety expert Dr Bill Kirkup.

The report found 11 babies and one mother died as a direct result of poor care at FGH between 2004 and 2013 in one of the worst maternity scandals in the country.

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