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BBC defends undercover nurse show
Anna Davis and Sophie Goodchild14 Apr 2009
AN undercover nurse carried out secret filming because it was the "only option" to reveal the neglect of elderly patients on a hospital ward, a disciplinary hearing was told today.
Margaret Haywood, 58, filmed at the Royal Sussex Hospital in Brighton for a Panorama programme after being approached by the BBC. The producer of Undercover Nurse, Elizabeth Bloor, told the Nursing Midwifery Council fitness to practise panel "there was an over-arching public interest" because the programme had received more than 4,000 complaints about conditions.
Ms Bloor added: "We felt our only option really was to ask somebody to go undercover on a ward and that person really should be a nurse."
Ms Haywood, who had been an adviser to the BBC before working for it at the Royal Sussex, admits breaching patient confidentiality. The hearing continues.
Reader views (2)
Now that mobile phones can record video and surveillance equipment is cheap and good quality. those who work in hospitals, care homes, as police officers or social workers should be aware they can be recorded at any time by anyone. If they do nothing wrong then they have nothing to fear. Do something wrong and there ia always that risk of appearing on TV or Youtube. Just behave!
- Steve, Essex, 16/04/2009 13:05
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She should be congratulated for exposing the state of patient care in many of our hospitals,but the powers that be can be really nasty when there window dressing and glossy brochure image spinning machine is exposed for the sham it is.More power to people like her and the British people should get behind her and support her in every way possible,after all its your health service.
- Kev, London-UK, 15/04/2009 04:12
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