Stephen Hawking's nurse suspended, charged with "serious" misconduct on his care

A nurse who had worked for Professor Stephen Hawking for 15 years was suspended for alleged "serious" misconduct regarding his care.

The decision was taken in a secret court where the scientist's immediate family filed a complaint that resulted in a lengthy investigation into Patricia Dowdy, 61 years old. Mail on Sunday has learned.

The details of the case and the type of disciplinary charges against have been removed by the body that regulates nursing.

The public and the media were excluded from the hearing because of the serious charges against her, which were never heard by the public.

Dowdy was suspended by the Council of Nurses and Midwives (NMC) when applications surfaced.

The "substantive" hearing takes place behind closed doors and the charges will probably never be disclosed to the public.

The nurse from Ipswich, Suffolk, stopped working for Hawking two years before succumbing to motor neuron disease last March, at the age of 76.

When the Mail on Sunday Dowdy replied to the nurse: "This is all very annoying, can I just say" no comment "at the moment, I'm not supposed to talk to anyone."

A source familiar with the case said the charges against the nurse were "rather serious," but declined to discuss further.

In 2004, Elaine Mason, Hawking's second wife, was accused of mistreating her husband by 10 nurses who took care of him.

It is not known if Dowdy was among those who made statements to the police or if this case is related to the current hearing.

Hawking was confined to his wheelchair since the age of 30 and was followed by a rotation of nurses and private caregivers paid by the University of Cambridge, where he was a professor of mathematics.

Dowdy was often seen by his side.

Last night, a family spokesman said he did not want to comment on the CNG audience but said: "The past year has been a very trying time for us."

CNG has stated that it does not intend to hold further hearings in camera.

"The hearings are usually held in public, and in some cases, including in this particular case, it does not happen because of the health of the people involved, and we will continue to fully motivate the decisions that we have. in order to ensure transparency of the measures taken to protect the public and why. "