Yorkshire nurse awarded Jubilee MBE
Yorkshire born and raised District Nurse, Steph Lawrence, has been honoured with an MBE as part of the Queen’s Jubilee Celebrations. Steph is to be presented with the award for services to District Nursing.
Steph Lawrence (pictured above) has been a community nurse in Yorkshire for 35 years
Steph began her nursing career at the age of 18 and has spent most of her working life in Yorkshire. She trained as a nurse in Calderdale and has worked within the NHS for the last 35 years. As well as being a Registered Nurse for adults, she also holds qualifications in children’s nursing, district nursing and advanced practice as well as being a non-medical prescriber.
She became a Queen’s Nurse in 2018, a national honorary title given specifically to community nurses who have demonstrated a high level of commitment to patient-centred values and who have made improvements in care. For the last 4 years Steph has been responsible for leading community-based NHS nursing and therapy care across Leeds, with the aim of keeping people well at home and outside of a hospital setting.
Currently the Executive Director of Nursing and Allied Health Professionals for Leeds Community Healthcare NHS Trust, Steph also holds the same role for the Leeds GP Confederation, overseeing nurses and therapy professionals across both GP practices and community care, to make sure that there is a joined-up approach to care for people in their own homes and communities.
Aside from her leadership responsibilities she can often be found working on the frontline, conducting patient visits, or taking clinic appointments to support her colleagues. She is passionate about sharing her skills and experience and has led on the national district nurse apprenticeship standard and is the Chair of the trailblazer group for this work. Steph is also the National Professional Advisor for Community Services with the Care Quality Commission (CQC).
Steph said: “I am both amazed and delighted to be given this award. To nurse someone in their own home is a great privilege. It is why I am so passionate about community nursing and why it is important to me that the teams who work in these services are highly trained and skilled to deliver the best possible care. To be recognised for services to the unique profession of district nursing is an absolute honour. This award is for all those community nurses in Leeds, and across the country, who go the extra mile every day and night to make sure that people can remain in their own homes.”
Steph will be travelling to London with her family to be presented with her MBE at an official royal ceremony later in the year; the details of which are yet to be confirmed.