BBC Panorama standing by struck off nurse Margaret Haywood

As you probably heard or read somewhere over the last week, BBC Panorama's undercover nurse, Margaret Haywood, lost her livelihood when she was struck off by the Nursing and Midwifery Council for breaching patient confidentiality.

In a follow up post last week I expressed concern and hoped that the BBC would not let Ms Haywood 'hang out to dry'.

I was therefore pleased to read today, a couple of follow up posts from the BBC, showing how they are supporting Ms Haywood.

I was also delighted to see A Gibo's Tale get a mention in despatches, on the BBC's own Panorama Blog, describing my blogs about Ms Haywood as "one blogger who has expressed indignation at the NMC's decision"... and I did too! They should have said I was bloody livid... not just indignant. That would have been more accurate! But... thanks for the mention Auntie Beeb... I am quite chuffed!

Today, BBC Panorama asks "What's next for the undercover nurse?"

Panorama explain that Ms Haywood, 58, is currently reviewing her appeal options with the support of her legal team and the Royal College of Nursing (RCN), who also last week set up a Petition in Support of Margaret Haywood. So far, as I write, 25,827 people have signed the petition!

The BBC add that "without her licence to practice, she has lost her position as a trainer of other nurses and carers".

This is the real worry for me and why I said I hope the BBC don't let her 'hang out to dry'.

Which is why I was particularly pleased to read that BBC Panorama report that she is being supported by the BBC and is working as a consultant to Panorama and to the rest of BBC News and Current Affairs on health issues, until her future becomes clearer. That's great to hear!

Ms Haywood said she knew the risk she was taking in deciding to film undercover for the July 2005 programme, but feels the decision to prevent her from working as a nurse after a career of more than 20 years was unduly harsh.

Ms Haywood admitted to the charge that she breached confidentiality, but argued that it was justified by an overreaching public interest.

"I didn't sort of take the decision lightly I did look into it, I did give it an awful lot of thought and I knew that my position would be compromised by doing it - but I think the public needed to be aware of what was going on on the ward."

Quite right Margaret... the public do need to be aware... and you did absolutely right in bringing this to the public's attention... and thousands of us are supporting your action!

Dr Peter Carter, Chief Executive of the RCN also agrees and said the union feels the punishment was "harsh and disproportionate and beyond the level of sanction" they expected.

You can support Margaret Haywood

RCN Petition in Support of Margaret Haywood > Support for whistleblowing nurse struck off by NMC @ GoPetitions

If you would like to support Margaret Haywood on Facebook, there are a number of Groups now set up. You can find them posted at this Facebook Group whose aim is to Reinstate Margaret Haywood.

If you want to let the NMC know how you feel you can do so by emailing this article to them - Just click on the 'SHARE' button below to email them - Copy these email addresses as they are (including the comma) and paste it into the email address window of the 'SHARE' email: fitness.to.practise@nmc-uk.org, communications@nmc-uk.org - You might like to add, as I did, that you think their decision is "appalling and shameful"!