The daughter of a midwife who worked at the Luton and Dunstable Hospital for more than 50 years claims she was given no support after an injury during a night shift.

Usha Bhayani, aged 80, was born in Kenya and trained as a nurse in Mumbai before moving to the UK in 1969 to complete her midwifery training at the hospital.

During her decades at the L&D, she delivered thousands of babies and mentored generations of midwives.

But while on a night shift in October 2023 Usha, 78 at the time, broke her dominant arm, leaving her with lasting limitations in its use.

placeholder image — Usha Bhayani. Picture: Manisha Bhayani

Her family claim that there was no call, no visit, no expression of compassion from the hospital’s management.

When she was called three months later, in January 2024, she was told she had entered a Stage 2 sickness absence process – a formal step to review her absence and improve her attendance.

Usha’s daughter, Manisha Bhayani, said: “My mother gave her life to that hospital. She missed family occasions, worked nights for most of her career, and gave everything to her patients. But when she needed support, it never came.”

In a statement, a spokesperson from Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust said they were “deeply sorry” about Usha’s injury.

They said: “Over 50 years working at the L&D is an incredible achievement and commitment to serving our communities, and we value the dedication and contribution of all colleagues – including our long-serving workforce.

“While we cannot comment on individual circumstances for confidentiality reasons, we can confirm that a separate personal injury claim relating to the workplace incident was resolved through an agreed settlement.

“The good health, well-being, and dignity of our staff remains a key priority for our organisation, and we remain committed to treating all staff fairly and with respect, and to upholding the principles set out in our People and Culture Strategy.”

In the Trust’s strategy, Chief Executive David Carter said: “The organisation’s culture is important because it is at the heart of a safe, high-quality Hospital.

“Only if our staff are supported, comfortable in their role, treated as equals by their peers, will they feel safe to do the right things, speak up and be open when things go wrong, live and breathe our values and strive for excellence.”

But Manisha says her mum was "invisible", and asked: “And if compassion can disappear this quickly, what hope is left for the next generation of nurses, midwives, and carers?”

Colleagues and families who knew Usha have described her as “a legend,” “irreplaceable,” and “the heart of the maternity unit.”

Harsukh Soni, whose family has known Usha for nearly 40 years, explained: “She delivered our children and our grandchildren. If this is how the NHS treats someone like her, what message does that send to anyone thinking of joining it?”

Another former colleague, Leslie Leale, called her: “The kind of midwife you don’t forget, skilled, calm, compassionate. The maternity unit was a better place because she was in it. To see her treated this way is devastating.”