Adenike Simiat Balogun-Sadiq

Introduction

Adenike Simiat Balogun-Sadiq is a midwife who worked at the Princess Royal University Hospital in Bromley, south-east London, and who was struck off the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) register after a panel found she had told a labouring mother, “If you don’t push, I’m going to have to cut you”. The striking-off order was imposed in her absence at a review hearing on Monday 28 September 2026 and takes effect on 6 November 2026. She was already serving a suspension order, handed down on 7 April 2025, over her treatment of a patient referred to as Mother A during an incident at the hospital on 17 and 18 July 2019.

Background Information

The misconduct findings against Balogun-Sadiq relate to her care of Mother A at the Princess Royal University Hospital in Bromley on 17 and 18 July 2019. A Fitness to Practise Committee panel found the misconduct proved and suspended her from practice for six months on 7 April 2025. The decision was reviewed on 17 September 2025, when the suspension was confirmed for a further six months, and again on 23 March 2026. The second reviewing panel considered that a period of suspension would give her “the opportunity to provide reflections on her misconduct and would allow her to undertake further relevant training”, and found the misconduct to be “an isolated incident in what had hitherto been 22 years of a previously unblemished career”.

While suspended, Balogun-Sadiq was given instructions on how to address the concerns, including submitting a “reflective piece to demonstrate that she has gained insight into her failures” and how it would inform her future practice. She had also admitted providing false information to the NMC: in paperwork completed in November 2022 she declared that she had retired on 31 August 2022, when she was in fact still undertaking midwifery shifts at St George’s Hospital in Tooting, south London.

The Controversy or Incident That Led to Their Cancellation

Adjudicated regulatory findings. The NMC found the 2019 treatment of Mother A proved at a prior hearing and struck Balogun-Sadiq off at review after she failed to engage with her suspension. These are regulatory findings, not criminal charges.

At the original hearing, the panel ruled that Balogun-Sadiq failed to treat Mother A “with kindness, respect and compassion”. When Mother A “stated she felt she couldn’t push any more” during labour, she answered: “If you don’t push, I’m going to have to cut you”. After Mother A cried out in pain, she was found to have said to her: “What’s wrong with you? Are you emotional?”. It was further established that she “failed to ensure that Mother A had adequate pain relief in place before commencing and/or during the suturing process”.

Public Reaction and Consequences

The case was reported by the Independent, MyLondon and London Now, all focusing on the quotes from the labour ward and the striking-off at review. According to the review decision, Balogun-Sadiq continuously failed to engage with the regulator after the first order was made, and did not attend the virtual review hearing despite having been sent notice. The panel found there was a risk she would repeat the misconduct and, in her absence, imposed a striking-off order.

The decision read: “In light of Mrs Balogun-Sadiq’s failure to demonstrate improved insight or remediation of the failings found in her practice, the panel determined that there remains a real risk of repetition of the misconduct found proved.” It added that her “lack of engagement with the NMC and her failure to address the identified concerns constituted a significant departure from the standards expected of a registered nurse”, and that “the misconduct identified in this case has and would continue to put patients at risk of harm and is therefore fundamentally incompatible with her remaining on the register”.

Current Status

Balogun-Sadiq is struck off the NMC register, with the striking-off order coming into effect on 6 November 2026. The decision was made at a review hearing on Monday 28 September 2026, which she did not attend; one syndicated report gave the hearing date as 28 October. She had been sent notice of the hearing and had continuously failed to engage with the NMC after the suspension order was imposed.

Impact on Their Career/Life

The striking off ends a midwifery career that a reviewing panel had described as “22 years of a previously unblemished career” before the 2019 incident. The outcome followed not only the findings over Mother A’s care but also her admitted provision of false information to the regulator — declaring retirement in November 2022 while still working midwifery shifts at St George’s Hospital — and her failure to provide the reflective piece and remediation the panels had sought throughout the suspension period.

Sources

• The Independent, Mathilde Grandjean, “Midwife told mother: ‘If you don’t push, I’m going to have to cut you’”, 1 October 2026. source
• MyLondon, Mathilde Grandjean (PA) and Lu Williamson, “Bromley midwife who told mother ‘If you don’t push, I’m going to cut you’ banned from profession”, 2 October 2026. source
• London Now (Newsquest), Olivia Carter, “South London midwife struck-off over misconduct with patient”. source