The nurse who cared for late British astrophysicist Stephen Hawking was on Tuesday banned for failing “to provide the standards of good, professional care that we expect and Professor Hawking deserved”.
Britain’s Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) made the ruling at a hearing where Patricia Dowdy, 61, faces multiple misconduct charges over her care of the professor – who died last year – including financial misconduct, not providing appropriate care and not having the correct qualifications.
Hawking was confined to a wheelchair, almost completely paralysed and unable to speak except through his trademark voice synthesiser after having being diagnosed with motor neurone disease aged 21. “As the public rightly expects, in serious cases such as this – where a nurse has failed in their duty of care and has not been able to (provide) evidence to the panel that they have learned from their mistakes and be fit to practise – we will take action,” said the NMC’s Matthew McClelland.
“As the public rightly expects, in serious cases such as this – where a nurse has failed in their duty of care and has not been able to evidence to the panel that they have learned from their mistakes and be fit to practise – we will take action,” Matthew McClelland, the NMCs director of fitness to practice said in a statement.
“We have remained in close contact with the Hawking family throughout this case and I am grateful to them – as they approach the anniversary of Professor Hawking’s death – and others for sharing their concerns with us. My thoughts are with the family at this difficult time,” McClelland added.
A spokesperson for the Hawking family said: “The Hawking family are relieved this traumatic ordeal has now concluded and that as a result of the verdict, others will not have to go through what they suffered from this individual.
“They want to thank the NMC for their thorough investigation.”
Mrs Dowdy had been asked about the allegations over the weekend, saying: “This is all very upsetting. Can I just say ‘no comment’ at the moment? I’m not supposed to talk to anyone.”
NMC boss Andrea Sutcliffe said this week that transparency was ‘one of our core values’. It is the second time someone close to Professor Hawking has been accused of mistreating him.
His second wife and former nurse, Elaine Mason, was investigated in 2004 after his wrist was broken and his face was gashed. Witnesses claimed she was abusive, but both she and Professor Hawking denied this and police decided against taking action.
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