Midwife suspended over two deaths

Both babies died at Antrim Area Hospital

A midwife at Antrim Area Hospital has been suspended amid a police investigation into the deaths of two babies.

An inquest heard allegations that Heather McComish wrongly interpreted the read-out of a heart monitor.

Matthew White of Steeple Road, Antrim, died from brain damage five days after being born last November. An inquest into his death was adjourned on Monday.

Four-day-old Paul O'Neill died a year earlier, also from a brain injury.

During Paul's inquest, the court heard claims that Mrs McComish wrongly interpreted the data from the heart monitor.

Ms McComish has more than 20 years experience as a midwife.

Another midwife, who was present the day Matthew White was born, has also been suspended from duties. She was not named during his inquest.

It has been adjourned until the New Year pending the outcome of the police investigation.

A spokesperson for the Northern Health and Social Care Trust told the BBC: "Trust policy is that once a serious incident has occurred a full investigation is conducted and the necessary action taken."

Breda Hughes of the Royal College of Midwives said: "No learning was identified after the first incident, no measures were put in place that might have gone some way to preventing the second incident.

"That's a very hard pill for all of us to swallow."