A CARING and dedicated district nurse has been given a prestigious award for her commitment to high standards of patient care, learning and leadership.

Emma Kergon, clinical lead at the Bradford District Care NHS Foundation Trust, has been given the title of Queen’s Nurse (QN) by community nursing charity The Queen’s Nursing Institute (QNI). Nurses who hold the title benefit from developmental workshops, bursaries, networking opportunities and a shared professional identity.

Emma, of Addingham, hopes the award will promote and celebrate the good work carried out in district nursing.

Working in collaboration with a number of other services, Emma has led a series of programmes designed to improve the quality of patient care, whilst also addressing clinical issues within training and development. These include staff nurse development programmes, the creation of district nursing standards, diabetes training and development programmes for all new starters and the creation of an e-learning medicines management tool.

Emma said: “It’s a huge privilege to be a district nurse, and although I might not be as hands-on today, you can still have an influence on the care that patients receive through education and training, influence and standards.

"Lots of us have elderly relatives or loved ones that require care at home and I am passionate about ensuring everyone gets the same quality of service.”

Despite working full time, Emma has juggled the commitments of childcare, with studying for her Masters degree in Management, Leadership and Change in Social Health Care.

She attend the ceremony to collect her award at the Royal Gardens Hotel in Kensington, London, accompanied by her ten-year-old son, Alex. “My son appreciates how hard I work," added Emma. "He’s been really supportive and understanding, so it’s been lovely for him to attend the ceremony with me.”

She accepted her award from Professor Viv Bennett, director of nursing for Public Health England. “I was really surprised but I was thrilled to bits," she said. "Thrilled on a personal level, but thrilled also for the opportunity to promote the district nursing service.”

Dr Crystal Oldman, chief executive of the QNI, said: “Congratulations are due to Emma Kergon for her success.

"Community nurses are expert professionals who make a vital contribution to patient health and wellbeing every day. As a national charity, the QNI can support them in delivering excellent patient care in their local communities. The Queen’s Nurse title is a key part of this and we would encourage other community nurses to apply.”