Two NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde staff members have been awarded MBEs in the 2026 New Year Honours List.
Hilary Alba, Specialist Midwife in the Blossom Team, was made a Member of the Order of the British Empire for her exceptional contribution to community midwifery.
Dr Deirdre McCormick, Chief Nurse and Head of NHSGGC’s Public Protection Service, was given the same honour for her services to public protection.
Both women told how their awards were a testament to the hard work and dedication of the teams they work with.
Hilary works within NHSGGC’s Blossom Team, a dedicated group of midwives specially trained to support women and families experiencing, or at risk of, vulnerabilities during pregnancy and the postnatal period.
Their work spans a wide range of complex circumstances, including women living in deprivation, teenagers, women with learning disabilities, those living with HIV, survivors of domestic abuse, trafficked women, asylum seekers, and more.
Care is tailored to each woman’s unique needs, from strengthening parent-infant relationships to coordinating multi-agency support.
Covering Glasgow’s North-East communities, including Parkhead, Tollcross and Shettleston, Hilary has spent years advocating for some of the most vulnerable women, including pregnant asylum seekers and women involved in human trafficking.
Her work has extended to supporting women affected by Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) and influencing policy by taking their needs to the Scottish Government to help shape legislation.
The Blossom Team comprises 12 Specialist Midwives, consultants and clinical psychologists, working together to provide holistic care.
Hilary qualified as a midwife in 2001 when she herself was pregnant and in 2002 she began working at the Princess Royal Maternity on Ward 71, led by Mary Hepburn, who later founded the Blossom Team.
She has also championed partnerships between Blossom Midwives and third-sector organisations, including AMMA and the Red Cross, recognising the vital role they play in supporting women.
She said: “I still can’t believe I’ve been awarded an MBE. I don’t know who nominated me, but I’m incredibly grateful.
“I want people to know that I don’t work alone. Everything I’ve achieved has been as part of a fantastic team.”
Hilary added: “One of the things I love about this role is the connections we’ve built with partners. Their work is often life-changing for the women we care for. I’m even running the Edinburgh Marathon in May to raise funds for AMMA because I truly believe in what they do.”
Meanwhile, Deirdre leads NHSGGC’s Public Protection Service, which exists to ensure the safety of vulnerable unborn babies, children, young people and adults who are at risk of harm.
She is a qualified nurse, midwife and health visitor with 44 years of NHS service and has dedicated her career to improving patient care and experience and protecting the public.
Deirdre has held a range of operational management and professional leadership roles both locally and at a national level, and worked as a Nursing Officer for Children, Young People and Vulnerable Families within the Chief Nursing Directorate of the Scottish Government.
She is also a trustee of the charity Children’s Hospices Across Scotland.
Deirdre explained that safeguarding vulnerable people often requires a multi-agency response and praised her own team and others who provide support.
She said: “This honour came as a complete and unexpected surprise, and I am humbled to receive this award.
“This recognition is testimony to the incredible work undertaken by the Public Protection Service team within NHS GGC, the wider NHS and multiagency partners in keeping unborn babies, children, young people and adults safe from harm.
“I have been privileged to have enjoyed an extremely rewarding career spanning over 40 years within the NHS and I have been fortunate to work with a wide range of colleagues in both a local and national context.
“This honour would not be possible without their support and the support of my family and friends.
“The award highlights the essential and impactful safeguarding duties we all share, particularly in protecting the most vulnerable members of our communities.”
Both Deirdre and Hilary will receive their MBE medals at a ceremony in the New Year.
Professor Angela Wallace, Executive Director of Nursing for NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, said: “Hilary and Deirdre embody the compassion, expertise and unwavering commitment that sit at the heart of nursing, midwifery and public protection in NHSGGC.
“Their MBEs recognise not only their personal dedication, but the collective efforts of the teams around them – from the Blossom Team’s trauma‑informed, person‑centred care to the Public Protection Service’s multi‑agency safeguarding across our communities.
“On behalf of NHSGGC, I offer my warmest congratulations and heartfelt thanks to them and their colleagues for the difference they make every single day.”
