The head of the watchdog for nurses and midwives has resigned ahead of a damning report into the regulator’s handling of the Morecambe Bay scandal.

Jackie Smith announced her departure as chief executive of the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) on Monday, as it was braced for heavy criticism about a succession of failures.

The watchdog has already come under fire for allowing midwives at the heart of the scandal – where 11 babies died, following failings in care – to work for years, after concerns were raised.

And an independent inquiry into the scandal accused the NMC of a “lamentable failure” after its fitness to practice panel cleared two of the midwives involved in the failings.