An award-winning midwife has been suspended for a year after she urged a pregnant shopworker not to wear a mask during the pandemic in case it harmed her unborn child.
Northern IrelandNHS worker Seana Kerr was in a store when she approached the woman, who was 27 weeks pregnant, and said she believed that a face covering would 'reduce the amount of oxygen her baby was receiving'.
Ms Kerr made clear she was a midwife and also suggested to the mother-to-be that she should consider rejecting the offer of a flu vaccination in case it increased the risk of her baby being stillborn, a disciplinary hearing heard.
The pregnant woman, known only as Patient A, said she was left 'highly distressed' by the incident because it was her first pregnancy and she 'wanted to ensure she was doing the best for her child'.
A Nursing and Midwifery Council panelhas suspended Ms Kerr for 12 months over the incident - and her social media posts about Covid-19 at the height of the pandemic.
As well as the use of masks, Ms Kerr, who won Northern Ireland's Excellence in Midwifery award in 2018 and was nominated for a further award in 2020, spoke out against pregnant women having theflujab and the covid vaccination - calling it a 'trial'.
In a Facebookpost she allegedly wrote: 'I am not proud that babies are still being attacked in the womb through vaccination of mothers during pregnancy and I am not proud that when babies die in the womb that the coroner in this country is not asking the question was this mother vaccinated'.
Award-winning widwifeSeana Kerr, who was named the best in Northern Ireland in 2018 and nominated for another award in 2020, has been suspended for 12 months for advising pregnant women not to wear a mask and have a flu or Covid jab. Ms Kerr says she stands by what she said
Ms Kerr's statements on Facebook were also investigated Nursing and Midwifery Council
The panel said there were more videos of Ms Kerr 'expressing views on social media that were against clinical advice during a national health crisis'.
Ms Kerr, who worked for the NHS' Southern Health Trust in Northern Ireland, has said she 'did not deny any of it' and 'cannot regret a word I said'. 'I stood on principle, for what I believed in. And I still believe that this matters', she said.
She was accused of giving adviceduring the pandemic that was 'contrary to the position of your employer and/or theWorld Health Organisation and/or mainstream medical opinion', a report said.
She also allegedly said that the pandemic was 'a Trojan horse intended to introduce a new era for humanity'.
Following a hearing this month, aNursing and Midwifery Council panel found a series of charges Seana faced were proved andgave 'unsolicited' advice to someone 'outside of a clinical relationship'.
Ms Kerr did not attend the hearing in June, but said after the suspension that she considered herself a whistleblower.
The panel found that her fitness to practise is impaired due to misconduct and suspended her for 12 months.
Ms Kerr did not attend the hearing in June, but said after the suspension that she considered herself a whistleblower.
Complaints about her emerged in the Autumn of 2020.
The panel's report said: 'In October 2020 concerns were raised to the Trust about alleged posts Ms Kerr made on social media in which she identified herself as a midwife and expressed views which suggested that vaccinations given to pregnant women could cause harm to unborn babies.
'It was further alleged she expressed negative comments about the national response to Covid-19, and suggested that healthcare professionals were complicit in this response. A Trust investigation was commenced.
'Subsequently in November 2020 a complaint was received that Ms Kerr gave unsolicited advice to a pregnant woman who was working in a shop where Ms Kerr was a customer.
'It is alleged that Ms Kerr advised her that she should not accept the flu vaccination due to being pregnant as it had the potential to increase the risk of stillbirth. It was alleged that Ms Kerr also told the woman, who was visibly pregnant, that she should not be wearing a facemask whilst pregnant due to the risk of reduced oxygen to the unborn baby.
'When the woman attended the Trust for intrapartum care she disclosed to the midwife who was providing her care at that time details of the conversation with Ms Kerr.
'The midwife told the couple she would escalate these concerns and did do so.
'Subsequent to this the pregnant woman's partner made a complaint to the Trust about what he considered to be Ms Kerr's unprofessional approach'.
The panel found that she had committed miscunduct because she had given unsolicited medical advice having identified herself as a midwife
The panel said: 'Patient A and their family were put at risk and were caused significant emotional harm as a result of Ms Kerr's misconduct.
'The panel noted that it is a reasonable expectation of everyone working in a public environment, such as a shop, that they will not be approached and given personal, clinical advice and that such advice would normally only be given during a private clinical appointment or at an antenatal class.
'Therefore, by approaching Patient A in her place of work, outside a clinical relationship, unsolicited, Ms Kerr placed her at significant risk of harm.
'It noted that at that time Patient A had no easy means to avoid the conversation, being at her place of work.'
The report added: 'During the investigation further allegations arose in connect with videos and posts Ms Kerr made online about Covid-19 theories and the effectiveness of vaccinations'.
Imposing the suspension, the Nursing and Midwifery Council panel said she actions hadrisked undermining public confidence in the profession during the pandemic.
It said: 'By expressing the view that other healthcare professionals, who Ms Kerr was working with in the Trust, were acting in ways which may cause harm, a view Ms Kerr held which was against the recognised guidance at the time, Ms Kerr risked seriously undermining the public confidence in the profession.'
The panel said they drew 'no adverse inference' from Ms Kerr's decision not to attend the hearing.
They said that she did have a number of positive 'character references' and had 'previously received an award for her practice'.
