Midwife’s suppression plea fails

A Palmerston North midwife will likely be struck-off the midwifery register after being found guilty of practising when suspended.

Tracey Jayne Goff broke down in tears when pleading her case to the New Zealand Health Practitioners Disciplinary Tribunal.

She also unsuccessfully argued for name suppression. Goff denied giving midwifery services while suspended, but the tribunal disagreed.

At a two-day hearing in Palmerston North, she faced a charge of professional misconduct over that accusation and allegedly falsely filling out a maternity form by using a forged signature.

The tribunal found her guilty of practising midwifery without a practising certificate between late 2015 and early 2016 and said she would likely be deregistered. However, it found that Goff had not intended to sign anyone else’s name on the form. The tribunal will issue a full decision in writing later.

When making her closing statement on Wednesday, Goff broke down in tears when explaining how her life had ‘‘turned into a living nightmare’’.

Goff was first suspended from practising midwifery after she failed a competence review in April 2015, the tribunal heard. At that time, the review panel found Goff was a serious risk to the public. She was expected to undergo further education and assessment.

However, she gave midwifery services to a woman, who has permanent name suppression, later that year. This included taking blood pressure, using a foetal monitor, requesting the woman’s maternal weight and height and using maternity forms.

Goff said she had given friendly advice, rather than treated the woman at midwifery appointments. She said she had not signed anyone else’s name on the form. The signature on it was the one she used at the time, she said. She denied any dishonesty and asked the tribunal to look at the case as a whole.

It was not the first time Goff’s midwifery services had been criticised. She said she endured ‘‘over three years of hell’’, which included a mistake she made in failing to diagnose pre-eclampsia. She pleaded guilty to a tribunal charge for that and lost her practising certificate and had to pay $9500 in fees.

During his closing, Mathew Mcclelland, the lawyer for the Professional Conduct Committee, said some of Goff’s evidence was ‘‘simply not credible’’. He also asked the tribunal to consider the evidence of the witnesses the committee called.

The tribunal heard the matter had an estimated $62,000 in costs to be paid. However, Goff’s financial situation was taken into account and no costs were ordered by the tribunal. ‘‘These costs will fall on the midwives throughout the community, but there is nothing to be done,’’ tribunal member Kenneth Johnston said.