UK’s best nurse recalls tragic patient
A WOMAN who vowed to improve care for people with learning disabilities after the tragic death of a patient has been named the UK’s best nurse.
Melanie Davies, a sister on Ward G at Morriston Hospital in Swansea, was presented with the profession’s top accolade at a ceremony in London.
Melanie dedicated the award to Paul Ridd, a vulnerable patient from Baglan, Port Talbot, who died at the hospital in 2009.
A watchdog investigating his death labelled the care he received as “dire”, and a senior nursing official blamed the failings on understaffing and “people not knowing what they were supposed to do”.
But Melanie, from Seven Sisters, worked with Mr Ridd’s family to dramatically drive up standards.
“I am shocked, honoured and amazed,” she said. “This is the highlight of my nursing career. I’ve got a fantastic team behind me, but ultimately this award is for Paul Ridd and his family.”
Mr Ridd underwent a major bowel operation at Morriston Hospital in December 2008 but died three weeks later on a general ward. Since Mr Ridd’s death Melanie has helped change the way vulnerable patients are looked after, working alongside his sister, Jayne Nicholls, and brother, Jonathan Ridd.
She added: “I made a promise to Paul Ridd’s family that no other patient or family would experience the poor care that he sadly received. We’ve done so much in the last few years and now we want to get the whole package of support out – maybe see a national mechanism in place.”
Since joining the ward in 2010 Melanie has advised colleagues, developed information packs, delivered training and developed a network of champions, mostly in her own time.