Meet three of the nurses from one community team 'honoured' to join an elite group
8.11.2023
Three colleagues from our Central IHC community nursing team have joined an elite group across Wales, Northern Ireland and England who can call themselves Queen’s Nurses.
The community nurses were granted the rare honour recently, after applying to the Queen’s Nursing Institute (QNI) and undergoing a taxing assessment process.
It’s noteworthy enough to see one of our nurses receive the recognition, but to have three colleagues from the same area team, in the same year, joining a cohort of just 2,500 Queen’s Nurses is an incredible achievement.
They are:
- Nichola Hughes, Head of Nursing For Intermediate Care and Specialist Nursing within the Central Integrated Health Community (IHC).
- Lisa Orhan, Community Matron for Denbighshire.
- Mandy Hughes, Peer Coach Support within Central IHC Community Nursing Team.
Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board’s Executive Director of Nursing, Angela Wood, said: “To become a Queen’s Nurse is the ultimate recognition of a community nurse’s commitment, dedication and impact, on both the population they serve and the colleagues they work with.
“In a time when the health service is under a lot of pressure, the incredible work done by nurses within our communities often goes under the radar.
“Hopefully the recognition this honour brings, and the work they have done to further the image and profile of community nursing, will inspire the next generation of nurses and healthcare support workers to join us.
“I could not be prouder to call these three, remarkable women colleagues of mine and I congratulate them on their achievements – as I do for all of our nurses who have gained this title.”
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.
Nurses, health visitors and midwives with five years’ experience working in the community/primary care/social care are eligible to apply.
The Queen’s Nurse title allows holders to access professional support networks, developmental programmes and bursaries – and is a formal recognition of the holder’s commitment to improving patient care.
The QNI was founded by Queen Victoria and has always been patronised by a Queen, even when a King was on the throne.
When the Queen Mother died in 2002, Queen Elizabeth II became the patron. On her death last year the role fell to Queen Camilla, the King’s Consort.
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