CityCare Matron Lead Charlene’s pride as she receives Queen’s Award

Charlene Johal, Lead Matron at Nottingham CityCare, the biggest provider of community health services in Nottingham, has been named as a Queen’s Nurse in recognition of her outstanding dedication to learning, leadership and excellence in healthcare.

She becomes one of almost 2,500 nurses to receive the title from the Queen’s Nursing Institute in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Recipients can apply after at least five years in community nursing and must get through a rigorous assessment and moderation process.

Charlene said: “It was a very proud moment and recognition of all my hard work and dedication to community health care and services.

“I love caring for patients and making a difference to the wellbeing of the communities we serve. Every day is different, and I get to meet so many amazing people, patients and colleagues”

Charlene qualified as a Nurse in 2004, and has worked in the Community Nurse team, Respiratory Team, as a Community Matron, then onto Lead Matron at CityCare.

 Queen’s Nurse certificates were presented at a ceremony in London by Dame Elizabeth Anionwu, Queen’s Nursing Institute Vice-President and Patron of the Mary Seacole Trust; and Professor Deborah Sturdy, Chief Nurse for Adult Social Care, Department of Health and Social Care.

The Queen’s Nurse programme brings together community nurses to develop their professional skills and deliver outstanding patient care in the community.

The Queen’s Nurse title will:

•         Connect Queen’s Nurses with a supportive professional network

•         Give access to the institute’s developmental programme, bursaries, and networking

•         Provide formal recognition of commitment to improving care

•         Provide learning and leadership opportunities.

Congratulating Charlene on her award, CityCare Director of Nursing, Allied Health Professionals and Quality Judith Douglas said: “I’m so proud Charlene’s has been recognised.

“Her dedication and innovation has helped her recently to support and help lead CityCare’s Community Virtual Ward team, which is supporting more patients to receive assessments and treatments in their homes, rather than requiring a longer stay in hospital.”