The New Year Honours list marks the extraordinary contributions and service of notable nursing and midwifery staff across the UK.
On this year’s list, former has been appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE).
Nicola (pictured) defied opposition to provide early medical abortions to women in Northern Ireland during the pandemic. She received her RCN award in 2021 for her passion for promoting women's health services and her bravery in continuing to run them in the face of huge obstacles and protests.
She’s since been part of a successful campaign for safe zones around abortion clinics to prevent patients being harassed and was a vocal campaigner on the need for commissioned abortion services in Northern Ireland.
Nicola said: “It is a great honour to be recognised for doing something that I feel passionately about. It showcases what nursing does as a profession and the difference we make to the lives of the people we care for. This honour will further drive me to improve women's health services, ensuring they have access to the care they need, when they need it.”
Other honour recipients include Jennifer Hall, Director of Nursing and Clinical Delivery of the COVID-19 Vaccination Programme for NHS England and NHS Improvement, and Carol Kefford, former Chief Nurse and Clinical Director at Nuffield Health who have both also been awarded an OBE.
In addition, several nursing staff have been appointed Members of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) for their contribution to a diverse range of nursing services including older people’s care, intensive care, neonatal nursing, palliative care and emergency nursing.
Among them are Elspeth Clegg, Chief Nurse for London, Morag Liddell, former Senior Charge Nurse at the Neonatal Unit of the Royal Hospital for Children in Glasgow and Zebina Ratansi, Director of Nursing at Whipps Cross University Hospital.
RCN Fellow, Professor Sonja Jayne McIlfatrick, Dean of the Ulster Doctoral College and Professor of Nursing and Palliative Care at Ulster University, also received an MBE for services to Higher Education and Public Health.
Additionally, RCN Fellow Deborah Sturdy, the Department for Health and Social Care’s Chief Nurse for Adult Social Care, received a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) for services to social care. You can read more about Deborah’s work here.
Lynn Green received a British Empire Medal (BEM) for services to emergency nursing in Northern Ireland.
Commenting on the New Year Honours list, incoming RCN President Sheilabye (Sheila) Sobrany said: “All those who have been recognised should be proud to be acknowledged in this way.
“They demonstrate the incredible work done by nursing staff in what continues to be an extremely challenging time for the profession.
“They represent all those in the nursing workforce – in hospitals, GP surgeries, care homes and in the community who act with the greatest of skill and professionalism for all those in their care.”
