Nursing Standard Patient’s Choice Award 2009
Margaret Haywood, whistleblower nurse
Margaret Haywood, who lives in Anfield, Liverpool was announced as winner of the Patient’s Choice Award.
In April this year, nurse Margaret was found guilty of misconduct and removed from the register by the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC). The decision followed her undercover filming for a BBC Panorama documentary, screened in July 2005, which highlighted instances of poor patient care at Royal Sussex Hospital in Brighton. In October, this was reduced on appeal to a one-year caution. Margaret has been represented by the Royal College of Nursing.
Margaret was nominated for Nursing Standard’s Patient’s Choice Award by Jennifer Price of East Grinstead, who says: ‘Mrs Haywood felt so strongly about the standards of care she was witnessing to put her job on the line…Maybe her decision to approach Panorama was questionable, but no one can deny that it was probably the most effective way to instigate change, which would immediately benefit patients. In nominating Mrs Haywood, I would like to help send the message to the NMC that they are out of touch with the wishes of the public they deem to protect.’
Margaret was one of five nurses selected as finalists from more than 250 nominations, made by patients and their loved ones. The public was then invited to vote for their preferred choice.