Prof. Melhado Chevannes

Professor Melhado Chevannes’ journey in the National Health Service (NHS) represents a compelling example of determination, professional excellence, and advocacy within the context of post-Windrush migration and racial challenges in Britain. Born on 11th March 1944 in Bog Walk, St Catherine’s Parish, Jamaica, she grew up in a family shaped by her mother’s entrepreneurial spirit as a shopkeeper and tailor. This environment instilled strong values of perseverance, kindness, and persistence, with her mother emphasizing the need to know what one wants, remain decent, and never give up at the first obstacle. After excelling at Government High School and completing her GCSE-equivalent qualifications, her initial ambition to train as a teacher was postponed due to age restrictions requiring applicants to be at least 18.

In August 1964, at the age of 20, Melhado migrated to England with her brother under the restrictive work voucher system then in place for Commonwealth citizens from the Caribbean. Upon arrival, the voucher required immediate employment, and she began work the very next day as an auxiliary nurse at Birmingham Accident Hospital. Her early days involved basic duties such as bed bathing and managing bedpans. Almost immediately, she encountered overt racism when a patient with a fractured femur kicked her and demanded she remove her “black hands.” The incident was swiftly addressed by senior staff, including the ward sister and doctor, who firmly reprimanded the patient and upheld zero tolerance for such behaviour, an early demonstration of some institutional support amid prejudice.

Driven to progress, Melhado pursued formal nurse training and was accepted in 1965 for a three-year State Registered Nurse (SRN) course at Selly Oak Hospital. During this period, she faced differential treatment compared to white colleagues, including stricter scrutiny over living arrangements when seeking permission to reside with family, while white nurses were permitted greater independence. The training combined clinical practice with theoretical studies in human physiology, sociology, and public policy, which deepened her understanding of how social and economic factors influence health outcomes. She qualified as an SRN in 1968 and then specialized in midwifery, valuing its community-based approach that brought her closer to healthy individuals rather than solely the ill. Later, in 1972, she trained as a health visitor in Nottingham, where housing discrimination posed significant barriers; estate agents often claimed no vacancies upon learning of her Jamaican background, forcing her to rely on informal networks and eventual tutor assistance to secure accommodation.

Melhado’s career continued to advance through further education and leadership roles. She earned a BA (Hons) in Social Sciences from the Open University, a Master’s in Sociological Research in Health and Care from Warwick University, and a PhD from Keele University, often studying part-time alongside work. In 1990, she was appointed Professor of Nursing at the University of Central Lancashire, becoming the first Black woman in the UK to hold a university chair in nursing. She also served as a non-executive director on NHS Trust boards in Lancashire and Leicester and later chaired the Royal Wolverhampton Hospitals NHS Trust. Beyond clinical and academic contributions, she co-founded a voluntary supplementary school for Black children to address educational underachievement in mainstream systems, operating it for nine years using church facilities.

Throughout her career, Melhado encountered persistent racism, including patient hostility, housing denials, and unequal professional treatment, yet she consistently applied her principle of resilience: experiences of prejudice should not halt progress. Her contributions to the NHS included clinical practice, academic publications on health equity and multicultural nursing, and policy advocacy such as promoting unrestricted visiting in children’s wards. In recognition, she received a CBE in the 1999 Birthday Honours for services to multi-cultural nursing, became a Fellow of the Royal College of Nursing (FRCN), and had a bust unveiled in her honour in 2022, largely through community and family advocacy.

Reflecting on her legacy, Melhado highlights the Windrush generation’s impact on the NHS, the importance of allies who provided guidance amid discrimination, and the ongoing need for equity and kindness. Her path from auxiliary nurse arriving under restrictive migration rules to pioneering professor and board chair illustrates both individual perseverance and the broader structural changes required to support diverse healthcare professionals. She advises younger generations, particularly Black individuals, to seek supportive networks, persist through barriers, and remain committed to service without complacency.