Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

Nurse sacked after secret lover patient died during car park meet and she failed to call 999

Hearing told that Penelope Williams ignored advice to call an ambulance following the man’s collapse

John Besley
Tuesday 04 July 2023 11:39 BST
NHS nurse Penelope Williams has been struck off
NHS nurse Penelope Williams has been struck off (Wales News Service)

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

A nurse has been struck off by the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) after a man she was having a secret relationship with died while in his car with her.

A hearing was told Penelope Williams ignored advice to call an ambulance following the man’s collapse in the vehicle in January 2022.

The death of the man, known only as Patient A, was listed as “heart failure and chronic kidney disease triggered by a medical episode”.

A fitness-to-practice panel was told Patient A received regular treatment at the Betsi Cadwaladr health board, where Ms Williams worked as a general nurse on a renal unit.

On the night of Patient A’s death, Ms Williams went to the home of one of her colleagues (Colleague 1) before meeting with him.

Just before midnight, the panel heard Colleague 1 received a phone call from Ms Williams, who was “crying and distressed and asking for help as she tried to explain that someone had died”.

Colleague 1 advised Ms Williams to call an ambulance.

Upon meeting Ms Williams in the car park of the hospital, Colleague 1 found Patient A partially clothed and unresponsive.

They then called 999 and asked for the police and ambulance, which Ms Williams had not done.

Patient A was pronounced dead shortly after.

Ms Williams initially told police and a paramedic in attendance that she had gone to the scene to meet Patient A after he messaged her on Facebook that he was unwell.

In a later statement to police, she admitted that the pair were in a sexual relationship and had previously arranged to meet at the car park that evening.

But she denied this in a formal meeting with the Health Board in February, explaining that “she met with Patient A and sat at the back of his car for about 30-45 minutes just talking” before he started groaning and suddenly died.

At a local disciplinary hearing with the Health Board in May, Ms Williams admitted to the relationship and not calling an ambulance even after being advised to.

She was dismissed from her job with “immediate effect”.

The NMC panel determined Ms Williams’ failure to disclose the relationship, and her limited insight about the damage her relationship could cause to nursing’s reputation or its effect on public safety, amounted to serious misconduct.

Ms Williams was ultimately struck off for bringing the profession into disrepute, with the panel concluding: “Ms Williams’ actions were significant departures from the standards expected of a registered nurse, and are fundamentally incompatible with her remaining on the register.

“The panel was of the view that the findings in this particular case demonstrate that Ms Williams’ actions were so serious that to allow her to continue practising would undermine public confidence in the profession and in the NMC as a regulatory body.”

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in