A number of nurses, midwives and primary care professionals have been honoured in the Queen's 2017 New Years Honours List.
This year's nurses and midwives include Cecilia Amin, the president of the Royal College of Nursiing (RCN), Gail Adams, the former head of nursing at Unison and Dr Geraldine Walters, the Nursing and Midwifery Council's (NMC) director of education, standards and policy.
'I am thrilled and delighted to receive this honour. I am lucky to have worked for a number of inspiring people, and with some fabulous nursing and midwifery colleagues over the years. I owe this to all of them,' said Dr Walters.
The honours have been awarded to nurses and midwives both in clinical and educational capacities. There are around 10 nurses and midwives who have been included this year in total.
Ms Amin has been the president of the RCN since 2014, as well as working as a specialist sexual health nurse in North London. Ms Anim became the first BME president of the RCN following her appointment.
RCN general secretary and chief executive Janet Davies said that Ms Anim is a 'role model and an inspiration to many working in the NHS. She has worked tirelessly to promote the cause of nursing and support RCN members for more than three decades'.
Professor Elizabeth Nneka Anionwu CBE, Emeritus Professor of Nursing, was awarded a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire, for her services to nursing and the Mary Seacole Statue appeal.
Professor Peter John, vice-chancellor of the University of West London, where Professor Anionwu works, said, ‘This is a welcome and well-deserved recognition of the valuable and enduring contribution Professor Anionwu has made to the nursing profession and nursing education. We are very proud of her achievements and extend our heartfelt congratulations to her.’
Other nurses included in the list were Professor Deborah Ann Sturdy, nurse adviser at Care England, Professor Jacqueline Dunkley-Bent, head of maternity at NHS England and Lynda Ann Bonner, founder of the National Nursing and Midwifery Nursing Network.