Midwife 'used plastic SPOON to induce pregnant woman after colleagues stopped her from using needle' Patience Adams allegedly decided to use plastic cutlery to speed up birth Nursing and Midwifery Council heard Adams failed to get patient's consent The council heard that there were no complications with the labour A midwife used a plastic spoon to induce a pregnant woman to go into labour, despite there being no complications with the labour, a misconduct hearing was told today. Patience Adams allegedly decided to use the plastic cutlery to speed up the birth minutes after a colleague prevented her using a needle, it was said. The Nursing and Midwifery Council heard, that Adams also failed to get the patient's consent for the unorthodox procedure at King's College Hospital NHS Trust. A midwife used a plastic spoon to induce a pregnant woman to go into labour, despite there being no complications with the labour, a Nursing and Midwifery Council misconduct hearing was told today Charlotte Eadie, for the NMC, said the woman, known only as patient A, was a Madarin speaker with little English. In an interview meeting she (Adams) said she had no difficulty communicating with patient A and that her husband was translating At times she had to use sign language. The panel heard that Adams tried to induce labour at around 12.30am on 8 May 2011. "An artificial rupture of membranes was carried out, this was despite the fact that labour was normal and there was no concerns regarding the welfare of the child," said Miss Eadie. There is no record in the medical notes to show why Adams chose to begin this procedure, the panel heard. Miss Eadie said that Alison Taylor, a midwife who was also present at some stages throughout the labour, was "concerned." Adams allegedly asked Miss Taylor to fetch a green needle, which would never be used for this procedure, and Adams then unsheathed it, it was said. She then began to start an internal procedure. Miss Taylor asked Adams why she was not using her fingers for the procedure and that she offered to fetch another midwife. "The registrant resheathed the needle and handed it back to Miss Taylor who then disposed of it," said Miss Eadie. The council heard, that Adams also failed to get the patient's consent for the unorthodox procedure at King's College Hospital NHS Trust Miss Taylor was then called away, and around ten to 15 minutes later observed the registrant coming out of the kitchen with a plastic spoon. Miss Eadie told the panel that the spoon "presented a risk of infection for using a non sterile object and a risk to the child due to the sharp end." Adams, who is present and represented at the hearing in central London, faces a string of allegations relating to the incident on 8 May 2011 while she was employed by Kings College Hospital NHS Trust. She admits that she did not offer the patient access to a translator and that she used a plastic spoon to perform the artificial rupture of membranes. She also admits an allegation that she did not record foetal observations, including the heart rate and summary of care and that she carried out two internal examinations without medical reason for doing so. But Adams denies attempting to use a needle to perform the artificial rupture of membranes and that she performed the procedure without discussing it with the patient or obtaining her consent. If she is found guilty of misconduct, she could face being struck off the register.