News

Queen’s birthday honours: pandemic ‘shines a light’ on nurses’ achievements

Nurses from across the UK recognised for their dedication during the pandemic and beyond

Nurses working in hospitals, care homes and the community across the UK recognised for their dedication during the pandemic and beyond

Some of the nurses named in the 2021 Queen’s birthday honours
Some of the nurses named in the 2021 Queen’s birthday honours (for full list, see box below)

Dozens of nurses have been named in the Queen’s birthday honours, in recognition of both their contribution to the profession and the ongoing effort against COVID-19.

Nurses recognised come from across the UK and work in hospitals, care homes and the wider community.

Nurses ‘stood tall’ amid enormous challenges

RCN acting general secretary Pat Cullen said all those named should be ‘rightly proud’. ‘They represent the entire nursing workforce in hospitals, care homes, GP surgeries and in the community, who stood tall under the greatest challenges they will have ever faced,’ she said.

Fiona McQueen, Scotland’s former chief nursing officer
CBE: Scotland’s former chief nursing officer Fiona McQueen Picture: Mike Wilkinson

Among those honoured is Scotland’s former chief nursing officer Fiona McQueen, who is made a CBE for her services to the NHS in the country.

Professor McQueen said she was humbled to receive the award and that every nurse deserved a similar honour.

‘In Scotland, I was the public face of nursing, but only because of every single member of the nursing family who has worked so selflessly all the time, but in particular over the pandemic,’ she said.

‘It recognises what nurses and nursing have done all the time really, but the pandemic has shone a light on it.’

Leading vaccination and training programmes for colleagues

Community nurse Adele Hague receives a British Empire Medal (BEM) for services to public health during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Sheffield Children’s NHS Foundation Trust team leader Ms Hague trained as COVID-19 tester during the pandemic, swabbing more than 2,000 people. She was also instrumental in the success of her trust’s vaccination programme, vaccinating hundreds of her colleagues.

She said she was shocked to receive the honour: ‘I am so humbled. I honestly cannot believe it, but I’m really amazed people nominated me for it, as I was only doing my job.’

Adam Mapani, nurse consultant in ophthalmology
MBE: Nurse consultant in ophthalmology Adam Mapani

Nurse consultant Adam Mapani, who works at London’s Moorfields Eye Hospital, receives an MBE for his contribution to ophthalmology, having trained and mentored 1,200 nurses and allied healthcare professionals in administering sight-saving intraocular injections.

Mr Mapani, who was born in Zimbabwe, has also worked with the UK's African communities during the pandemic to tackle vaccine hesitancy.

Siobhan Heafield, NHS England and NHS Improvement Midlands and East regional chief nurse, receives an MBE for her services to nursing and her work during the pandemic.

Ms Heafield paid tribute to her team and the work of the entire profession. ‘It’s a privilege and recognises what nursing has done in the last year,’ she said. ‘It’s been probably the toughest year ever and unfortunately, some nurses have made the ultimate sacrifice.’

Honour ‘shows the opportunities nursing provides’

Catherine Pelley, trust chief nurse and director of clinical governance
MBE: Trust chief nurse and director of clinical governance Catherine Pelley

Homerton University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust chief nurse and director of clinical governance Catherine Pelley is made an MBE for services to nurse leadership.

Ms Pelley worked with NHS Improvement to develop resources to support ward managers and team leaders, and said she hoped her award would demonstrate the opportunities a nursing career provides.

‘I hope what it does is help promote the profession,’ she said. ‘Nursing offers an amazing opportunity for people to use a whole range of different roles and skills.’

Tenacity – at work and in charity fundraising efforts

Also honoured is Welsh Ambulance Service NHS Trust nurse adviser Sue Owen-Williams, who receives a Queen’s Ambulance Service Medal.

Ms Owen-Williams, who joined NHS Direct Wales – now the NHS 111 Wales service – in 2005, has raised thousands of pounds for cancer charities through a series of gruelling walks, including Cancer Research UK’s Shine Night Walk.

The ambulance service’s director of operations, Lee Brooks, said: ‘Sue’s commitment and dedication to her fundraising efforts are testament to her tenacity. At work, Sue delivers excellent clinical advice for her patients at all times… She is a remarkable, caring nurse and invaluable to our organisation.’

The nurses named in the 2021 Queen’s birthday honours

Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE)

Mandie Sunderland
Mandie Sunderland
  • Fiona McQueen Lately chief nursing officer for Scotland. For services to the NHS in Scotland
  • Mandie Sunderland Lately chief nurse, Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust. For services to nursing

Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE)

Jackie Bird
Jackie Bird
  • Jackie Bird Lately regional chief nurse, NHS England and NHS Improvement North West. For services to nursing and the COVID-19 response
  • Gwenyth Mary Carling Teacher and nurse. For services to health in Africa
  • Claire Chadwick Nurse consultant in infection prevention and control, Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. For services to the NHS during COVID-19
Mel Coombes
Mel Coombes
  • Mel Coombes Chief nurse, chief executive, Coventry and Warwickshire Partnership NHS Trust. For services to nursing
  • Warrant Officer Sarah Louise Cotman Royal Air Force
Claire Chadwick
Claire Chadwick
  • Michelle Doherty For services to nursing and to lung cancer patients in Derry/Londonderry
  • Sandie Gracia Director of nursing and director of Gibraltar Ambulance Service, Gibraltar Health Authority. For services to nursing and to healthcare in Gibraltar
  • Gerry Fortuna Clinical nurse specialist in cardiac rehabilitation, Gibraltar. For services to healthcare in Gibraltar
Elizabeth Franklin-Jones
Elizabeth Franklin-Jones
  • Elizabeth Franklin-Jones Children’s senior sister, children’s emergency department, East and North Hertfordshire NHS Trust. For services to nursing and mental health services
  • Siobhan Heafield Regional chief nurse, NHS England and NHS Improvement Midlands and East. For services to nursing and the COVID-19 response
  • Phyllis Agnes Leckey For services to nursing and healthcare in Northern Ireland
Joseph Manning
Joseph Manning
  • Joseph Manning Clinical associate professor in children and young people’s nursing, Nottingham Children’s Hospital, Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust. For services to nursing
  • Adam Mapani Lead nurse consultant, Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, London and clinical teaching fellow, University College London clinical ophthalmology department. For services to ophthalmology
Maggie Stubbs
Maggie Stubbs
  • Eileen McEneaney Former director of nursing and user experience, Northern Health and Social Care Trust, Northern Ireland. For services to nursing and midwifery in Belfast
  • Catherine Pelley Chief nurse and director of clinical governance, Homerton University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, London. For services to nursing leadership in the NHS
Arlene Wellman
Arlene Wellman
  • Maggie Stubbs Member of patient forum, Health Education England. For services to diversity and inclusion in the NHS
  • Arlene Wellman Chief nurse, Epsom and St Helier University Hospitals NHS Trust, London and Surrey. For services to nursing during COVID-19
Adele Hague
Adele Hague

Medallist of the Order of the British Empire (BEM)

  • Adele Hague Nurse and healthy child programme lead, Sheffield Children’s NHS Foundation Trust. For services to public health during COVID-19
  • Clare Hawkins Head of nursing, Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Clinical Commissioning Group. For services to nursing during COVID-19
Ruth Hendy
Ruth Hendy
Mohammad Radha
Mohammad Radha
  • Ruth Hendy Lead cancer nurse, University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust. For services to cancer patients
  • Leigh Patience For services to the Somme Nursing Home for Military Veterans in Belfast during COVID-19
  • Mohammad Radha Healthcare assistant, Epsom and St Helier University Hospitals NHS Trust, London and Surrey. For services to the NHS during COVID-19
  • Helen Simmonds Manager, Lakeside Nursing Home, Cardiff. For services to older people

Queen’s Ambulance Service Medal (QAM)

  • Sue Owen-Williams Nurse adviser, Welsh Ambulance Service NHS Trust. For distinguished service

Royal Red Cross

First class

  • Colonel Sharon Findlay Defence Medical Services

Second Class

  • Staff sergeant Tracey Ann Culley Queen Alexandra’s Royal Army Nursing Corps

In other news

Jobs