MIDWIFE WHO DISMISSED WOMAN’S LABOUR AS UTI IS STRUCK OFF
A senior NHS midwife has been struck off after she told a woman going into labour that she merely had a urinary tract infection (UTI).
Katie Windle was contacted by “Patient B” in April 2022, who said she had pains in her abdomen and back.
The midwife “abruptly” told the first-time expectant mother that she was experiencing a UTI and added that triage could not help her because her department only had “baby doctors”.
She said: “It will be a waste of your time and my time if you come into see us, but I can’t stop you, I will just have to send you away.”
Mrs Windle advised Patient B to instead call an out-of-hours telephone service. However, when she did, the operator was “extremely shocked” at the advice and said she needed an ambulance as it was likely she was going into labour.
When she arrived at the hospital, A&E staff informed her she should have gone straight to triage and phoned Mrs Windle, who “sighed loudly”. The midwife said she was “short-staffed” so did not want to see her, but then relented.
Mrs Windle was struck from the midwifery register by the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) to prevent her “negligence and disregard” from being repeated.
She was an experienced midwife at Doncaster and Bassetlaw Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, the NMC was told.
The patient and her partner complained about Mrs Windle following the “traumatising” birth, with the mother saying “no woman should ever be made to feel this way”.
Speaking about her experience of the midwife once admitted, Patient B said she “explained how I was in such severe pain and I needed some help. Kat then sighed and said, ‘I will page the doctor if that makes you feel any better’ in a very sarcastic tone of voice.”
She added: “I asked to use the toilet. My waters broke whilst I was in the toilet so I shouted for help. I was extremely apologetic and embarrassed by this as they had broken all over the floor and all down my clothing.
“Kat then said: ‘Stop being stupid, they are your waters for God’s sake,’ as my first reaction was I’d been incontinent of urine and this is the reason I apologised.
“Kat then made me walk from the toilet across the corridor with my underwear and trousers around my ankles as they were wet through.”
Mrs Windle also told the young mother there was “no chance” of having pain relief as it was “too late”.
When the patient gave birth in one big push, resulting in some tearing, the midwife sarcastically told her: “And that’s exactly why I told you to stop pushing, look what’s happened now.”
Patient B concluded: “Overall, I had the most appalling, neglectful care, and the birth of my first child is something that will traumatise me for the rest of my life due to the negligence and disregard of this midwife.”
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Mrs Windle received complaints from three further patients after this episode, which focused on her poor treatment and rude remarks.
The NMC, which convened the tribunal, said: “Mrs Windle’s actions were significant departures from the standards expected of a registered midwife, and are fundamentally incompatible with her remaining on the register.”
2026-05-14T17:55:38Z
