NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde has congratulated five healthcare professionals after they received one of the highest honours in community nursing and midwifery.
The nurses and midwives, who work across the NHSGGC area, were among 18 from throughout the country to be awarded the prestigious title of Queen’s Nurse after they completed study for the Queen’s Nurse Development Programme (QNDP).
Marking the achievement of NHSGGC staff, Professor Angela Wallace, Executive Nurse Director with NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, said:
“The accolade of Queen’s Nurse is of huge historical significance in Scottish healthcare, and to be selected to take part in the Queen’s Nurse Development Programme remains a huge honour for nurses and midwives working in our communities.
“I would like to extend my warmest congratulations to the latest colleagues across NHSGGC for receiving this award, and I would like to thank them, and all other staff who work in the community, for the essential work they do to care for and support our patients.”
The new NHSGGC Queen’s Nurses are:
- Sharon Coggins, Lead Midwife for Community and Outpatients Department, NHSGGC.
- Michelle Dalgarno, Lead Advanced Nurse Practitioner, East Dunbartonshire.
- Gemma McGregor, Clinical Nurse Specialist Team Lead, Inverclyde.
- Lynsey O’Dwyer, Clinical Team Lead for District Nursing, East Renfrewshire.
- Donna Mitchell, District Nurse Team Leader, Inverclyde.
The five successful staff were selected earlier this year to take part in the nine-month QNDP, and after completing the course they joined their colleagues from around the country to receive their awards at a ceremony in Edinburgh last week.
Queen’s Nursing in Scotland dates back to the late 19th century, when nurses completed specific training which allowed them to work as district nurses to provide nursing care for the ‘sick poor’ of Scotland’s communities. QNIS organised the training of District Nurses in Scotland until the late 1960s. Nurses who qualified from the Institute were known as Queen’s Nurses, who provided healthcare and health promotion to people in their own homes and became well respected figures within their community. Following the introduction of a national certificate for district nursing, QNIS ceased training, awarding the original QN District Nursing title for the final time in 1969.
The Queen’s Nurse title was reintroduced to Scotland in 2017, with around 20 community nurses and midwives chosen each year to embark on the QNDP after which they are awarded the title of Queen’s Nurses. There are now almost 200 contemporary Queen’s Nurses working across Scotland.
QNIS is a charity and the QNDP is funded by grant making trusts and donations.
