A midwife has been struck off after saying she was “too busy” with paperwork to come to help a high-risk patient whose baby was in danger of dying.

Paulette Veryl Taylor has been a midwife at Medway Maritime since 2006 but in February 2014 she put a patient and her unborn baby at risk, the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) concluded during a conduct hearing.

A student midwife, under the instruction of Taylor gave evidence and said the patient, whose labour was being induced and who was due to be attached to the cardiotocography (CTG) monitor later that night, was contracting regularly and appeared to be in labour.

Taylor asked the student to attach the CTG and the student noticed that there was deceleration of the baby's heart to 60/70 beats per minute.

It is a serious matter which can result in the death of a baby and should have been addressed immediately. The patient was also known to be at high-risk having previously had extensive abdominal surgery.

“Just take it off, I’m busy with my paperwork" - Paulette Veryl Taylor to student midwife

However when the student reported her concerns, Taylor instructed her to remove the CTG.

She said: “Just take it off, I’m busy with my paperwork", the hearing heard.

The student said she was shocked and in the end another registered midwife, who also gave evidence, took over.

The midwife said “the hairs on the back of my neck rose” when she heard the word deceleration.

She heard Taylor say words to the effect of “I have not got time, I’m too busy, take it off”.

When she realised Taylor was not going to assist the student, she herself offered to help and went to see the patient.

A second charge, that Taylor failed to make a record of the incident, was also proved.

Daniel Brown, representing the NMC invited the panel to take the view that Taylor’s actions amount to a breach of the midwifery code of ethics; including to “make the care of people your first concern” and “to work with others to protect and promote the health and wellbeing of those in your care”.

He added that Taylor failed to uphold the reputation of the profession by not prioritising patient safety before paperwork; that she put the patient and her unborn baby at unwarranted risk of harm; and that she “has not demonstrated any remorse”.

He also referred the panel to another case in 2011 which identify previous concerns raised about Taylor’s practice and show a similar dismissive attitude.

Taylor did not attended her hearing following an 18 month investigation, and informed the case officer of that.

Although taking into consideration her many years as a midwife, the panel concluded the only appropriate sanction is a striking-off order.

Taylor has 28 days to appeal.

The panel heard oral evidence from three witnesses; a registered midwife, student midwife and supervisor of midwives.

A third charge, that Taylor Left another labouring patient distressed and unattended was unproven.

A spokesperson for Medway hospital said: “We are committed to providing assurance that each member of staff is well supervised and deemed fit to practice in line with the Fitness to Practice Rules.

"As a Trust our main priority at all times is to ensure that the mothers and babies that we care for are safeguarded and protected against poor practice. As soon as we were made aware of this incident, we raised the matter directly with the Nursing and Midwifery Council.”