marie teresa ratcliffe refused to defend herself against a raft of misconduct charges , choosing not to show up at her fitness to practise hearing in front of the nursing and midwifery council .
she also declined to send a lawyer in her place .
the panel has been told ms ratcliffe accepts 77 allegations relating to her care and treatment of 14 patients at the scandal-hit furness general hospital where joshua titcombe , pictured , died at just nine days old .
they include the allegations that , in relation to two babies - one of whom died in february 2004 and another in september 2008 - ms ratcliffe 's conduct .