Outstanding Community Nurses Celebrated at QNI Annual Awards

The Queen’s Nursing Institute (QNI) held its annual Awards Ceremonies on Friday 29th November at the Millennium Gloucester Hotel in London. Bringing together more than 500 community nurses, the ceremony highlights the exceptional work of community nurses across nursing services, education, innovation and leadership, and the vital role they play in the healthcare system.

The event included the presentation some of the most prestigious awards in nursing, including the Queen’s Nurse title, the Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother Award for Outstanding Service, the International Community Nurse of the Year Award, and memorial prizes for post-registration nursing students.

Presentations were made by Dame Elizabeth Anionwu, QNI Vice President and Patron of the Mary Seacole Trust, and Professor John Unsworth OBE, Chair of Council, The QNI.

The Council and Staff of the QNI were delighted to welcome George Plumptre, Chief Executive of the National Garden Scheme, to speak at the event. The support of the National Garden Scheme enables the QNI to operate the Queen’s Nurse programme and Elsie Wagg Innovation Scholarships.

View the full event programme here.

View photos of the event and download here.  Note: we are awaiting more photos, please check back in due course.

With thanks to our event photographers, Kate Stanworth and Anna Gordon.

The full list of awards and winners can be found below:

Queen’s Nurses

The title of Queen’s Nurse (QN) is available to individual nurses who have demonstrated a high level of commitment to patient care and nursing practice. 587 new Queen’s Nurses received their title at this year’s ceremony, taking the total number of Queen’s Nurses to more than 3,500.

The Queen’s Nurses who attended the ceremony in-person and online can be found in the event programme here.

The Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother Award for Outstanding Service

This award is given to community nurses who provide exceptional care to their patients and demonstrate a continuing passion and enthusiasm for nursing.

Awardees

• Carrie Mcmullan, Specialist community public health nurse (school nurse)
• Pamela Duke, Managing Director (NWL Occupational Health Shared Service)
• Catherine Mcarevey, Designated Safeguarding Nurse

International Community Nurse of the Year Award

International Community Nurse of the Year Award, now in its fourth year, was awarded to Ferdinand Esteban. The award recognises Internationally Educated Nurses working in community settings in England.

Academic Prizes

The Philip Goodeve-Docker Memorial Prize was presented to Maria Mogford. The prize is given to the top performing student of the District Nursing programme in every university in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

The Dora Roylance Memorial Prize was awarded to Sapana Ranabhat Basnet. The prize recognises the most outstanding Health Visitor student at each university offering the programme in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

The Ellen Mary Memorial Prize was awarded to Michelle Hearney. The prize is offered for outstanding students who have completed the Specialist Practice Qualification (SPQ) General Practice Nurse programme.

The Dame Elizabeth Fradd Memorial Prize was established in 2024 to honour the legacy of Dame Elizabeth Fradd, a Fellow of the QNI and a distinguished children’s nurse. The prize was presented to Lorraine Sonders for Outstanding Achievement as a Community Children’s Nurse Student.

Fellowship of the Institute

QNI Fellows are known leaders within their sphere of expertise, with a high profile in the health and care sector, and the respect and recognition of their peers. Fellowship in 2024 is conferred upon:

• Karen Bonner MBE, Chief Nurse & Director for Infection Prevention & Control, Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust
• Dr Ben Bowers QN, Wellcome Post-Doctoral Fellow, University of Cambridge & Honorary Nurse Consultant in Palliative Care
• Michelle Cox, Race Equality Consultant, Michelle Cox Consultancy
• Steve Forsyth, Chief Nurse, Rotherham Doncaster and South Humber
• Professor Pam Cipriano PhD, President of International Council of Nurses and Co-Chair of UHC 2030 for the United Nations
• Fiona Nolan, Clinical Professor & Director of Nursing at Camden and Islington NHS Foundation Trust & Barnet Enfield and Haringey Mental Health Trust

Leadership Programmes

Ambition to Lead Programme

The Ambition to Lead Programme is designed to support nurses working in the community to become future leaders in healthcare.

Awardees: Juliana Dike, Louise Salvi, Lisa Bolton, Helen Bradley, Barbara Dalby, Sarah Fisher, Rachel McVeigh, and Trish Thompson, Jackie Balloch, Natalie Chambers, Claire McGee, Alicia Snelling, Brenda Thompson, Catherine Duggan, Andrea Haley, Katy Menear, Charlotte Ramplin, Simone Thorn Heathcock, and Ben Wilman

Leading Strategically Programme

The programme is for senior nurse leaders working at a strategic level and is designed to help senior leaders advance their leadership skills to better manage and deliver community services.

Awardees: Fiona Bentham, Edwin Chamanga, Shona Cornish, Elizabeth Hall, Faye Hames, Marino Latour, Shoenagh MacKay, John McLinden, Susan Nicholls, and Janine Patrickson-Daly

 Nurse-led Innovation Projects

 The NGS Elsie Wagg (Innovation) Scholarship

 Elsie Wagg (Innovation) Scholarships are awarded to nurses leading projects that demonstrate how gardens can promote physical, mental and emotional health.

 Awardees:

• Fawn Bess-Leith, Dr Mfon Archibong: Botanical Brothers
• Carolyn Fleurat, Anna Redpath: Green Wellbeing
• Elaine Edgar, Simon Littlefield: Grow Together, Share Together
• Corrie Llewellyn: New Longton Wellbeing Garden
• Angela Willan, Sal Leat: Sanctuary Garden

Community Innovation Programme Awardees:

• Janine C. Lane: Embedding Comprehensive Geriatric Assessments into Care Homes to Reduce or Reverse Frailty and Improve Wellbeing
• Michael Brennan: Love to Learn

Surprise award: Adult Social Care Award

Professor John Unsworth OBE, Chair of Council, The QNI, on behalf of Professor Deborah Sturdy CBE, Chief Nurse for Adult Social Care, surprised Dr Agnes Fanning, The QNI’s Assistant Director of Nursing Programmes, with the Chief Nursing Officer for Adult Social Care Gold Award for outstanding services to social care.