If you know someone who has made an outstanding contribution within the health and care system, you can nominate them for an honour.
Who you can nominate
You can nominate anybody in the health and care system. Status and seniority aren’t important – what matters is what the person has done and the impact they have had on people’s health or care over a sustained period of time. However, you will need to explain:
- what makes this person special
- what they have achieved
- how they make a difference
- how they overcome obstacles or go the extra mile
- how they could be described as a role model
For example, you might want to nominate:
- someone who has made an impact on their workplace or community
- a nurse who works tirelessly to improve care
- campaigners who speak up when the system should be doing better
Reflecting diversity
We want the honours list to reflect the diversity of British society, as Una O’Brien, Permanent Secretary, explains:
We want to encourage nominees from all backgrounds and would especially like to see greater numbers of women and more people from black and ethnic minorities recognised for their achievements.
The only way to ensure that all parts of the health sector are represented on any honours list is for us to receive nominations from right across the health and care system.
Previous recipients
Teresa Chinn received an MBE for services to Nursing. She set up the virtual community WeNurses to offer support and learning to over 17,000 followers through tweets, blogs and online chats. After receiving her MBE, she said:
I never expected, when I set out nearly 5 years ago on this journey of using social media in nursing, that I would be recognised in this way, my initial aim being to connect nurses through conversation and, in turn, improve the lives of the people we care for. It really is an honour to be recognised in this way.
Matthew Hodson, Consultant Nurse at Homerton Hospital, received an MBE for transforming services for patients with debilitating lung disease. He said:
I hope with this award I can help to continue to raise the important profile of respiratory care through networking and identifying the effect it has on patients. I also hope to continue to network and bring about positive change, engaging those that can help make a difference, thereby improving the quality of life of patients living with respiratory disease.
How to nominate
Anybody can make a nomination for an honour at any time. But to nominate somebody in the health and care system for the Queen’s Birthday honours list, you will need to complete a nomination form by Wednesday 15 July.