Linda awarded prestigious Queen's Nurse title

Linda Phillips, Community Learning and Disability Nurse in Llanelli has been awarded the prestigious title of Queen’s Nurse by community nursing charity The Queen’s Nursing Institute (QNI). 

Linda was one of 62 nurses nationwide awarded the title at the charity’s ceremony, held at The Commonwealth Club in London.
Linda has worked within the community learning and disability team, based in Llanelli town centre, for 10 years.

Speaking about her award, Linda said: “I am really honoured to receive this title. There is a lot of good work being delivered by community nurses that maybe is not known or seen by many. Providing care within people’s homes can make a huge difference and I love working within a great team of four learning and disability community nurses here in Llanelli.”
Linda applied for the title after receiving a first class honours degree in Community Health Studies last year, 20 years after completing the first qualification of her career.

As part of her degree, she worked at Glangwili Hospital, looking at ways to improve the experience of people with a learning disability by improving links between the CTLD (community team - learning disabilities) and hospitals. It was her work on this project that secured her title of Queen’s Nurse.
Karen Howell, Deputy Chief Executive and Director for Mental Health and Learning Disabilities at Hywel Dda Health Board, congratulated Linda on her achievement: “Linda’s recognition by the Queen’s Nursing Institute is a fantastic reflection on the contribution she has made to the health and wellbeing of her client group, the service and also on the great work that is happening within our learning and disability community teams, and community nursing team as a whole. This award and recognition is well deserved.”
The title of Queen's Nurse (QN) was reintroduced in 2006 to help promote high standards of community nursing, learning and leadership. Nurses who hold the title benefit from developmental workshops, bursaries, networking and other opportunities, and a shared professional identity.
QNI Director Crystal Oldman said: “Congratulations are due to Linda for her success. Community nurses operate in an ever more challenging world and our role is to support them as effectively as we can. The QN title is a key part of this and we would encourage other committed community nurses to apply.”

The title of Queen’s Nurse is open to community nurses with more than three years’ experience. Managers and patients provide feedback about applicants, which is assessed along with their application.

More information about how to apply is available at www.qni.org.uk/for_nurses/queens_nurses. The Queen’s Nursing Institute is a registered charity founded in 1887.