The chief nurse of Derbyshire Community Health Services NHS Foundation Trust has become the first recipient of a new Queen’s Nursing Institute (QNI) leadership award.
Michelle Bateman was presented the William Rathbone X Award for Excellence in the Executive Nurse Leadership of Community today at a ceremony at the Welcome Collection in London.
And Steph Lawrence, chief nurse of Leeds Community Healthcare and GP Federation, was highly commended for the award.
The award recognises the impact of excellent strategic nursing leadership, support for staff and the consequent positive outcomes for patient experiences in the delivery of community nursing services.
It was named after William Rathbone X, the great-great-grandson of the founder of district nursing and of the QNI, William Rathbone VI.
And it was presented to Ms Bateman today by QNI chief executive Dr Crystal Oldman and Nick Addyman, QNI council member, representing the Rathbone family.
Dr Oldman said: ‘I am delighted, through this new award, that the QNI is able to recognise the exceptional contribution of a remarkable executive nurse who is an outstanding role model, a credit to the nursing profession – and as a Queen’s Nurse, a credit to the QNI too.’
There were 11 nurses in total nominated for the award, who all work for NHS-funded community health services including local government, integrated community and mental health trusts, and integrated hospital and community trusts.
Also at the event today, Professor of healthcare and workforce modelling Dr Alison Leary gave a lecture on ‘thinking differently about nursing workforce challenges’.
Recent analysis from the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) shows that the number of community and district nurses has fallen by nearly 50% since 2009, while the NHS workforce plan is yet to be published.
