'Inspirational' chief nurse awarded OBE

An "inspirational and thoughtful" Staffordshire NHS hospital trust chief nurse has become an OBE in the King's New Year Honours.

University Hospitals of North Midlands (UHMN) chief nurse Ann-Marie Riley has been recognised for her service to nursing leadership, inclusion and patient care.

Ms Riley said she was genuinely shocked and deeply honoured, but the recognition was as much about the "amazing teams" she worked with everyday as it was for her.

UHNM chief executive Dr Simon Constable said her hard work, drive for exemplar standards and true team working had made a significant impact on how care was delivered at Royal Stoke University Hospital and County Hospital, Stafford.

"Nursing has always been, and will always be, about patients, listening to them, learning from them and ensuring their voices shape every decision we make," said Ms Riley.

"Keeping patients at the heart of everything we do is the most important part of my role, and it is a privilege to serve in that way."

The chief nurse added that they had worked hard at UHNM to create cultures where people felt valued, supported and able to deliver the very best care for patients.

"It represents the efforts of everybody who works here really because you absolutely couldn't do it without them," she said.

UHNM chief executive Dr Simon Constable said under her leadership, nursing and midwifery vacancies had reduced, and retention improved.

"Ann-Marie is both an inspirational and thoughtful clinical leader who is dedicated to continuous improvement for our patients, our staff, and beyond," said Dr Constable.

As well as working "tirelessly" to bring patients into decision-making processes, she had also "utilised her diverse background to drive inclusion", stated the trust's chief executive.

UHNM was named 2024 Nursing Times Employer of the Year for Nurses and Midwives under her leadership, with lessons learnt shared with chief nurses across the region.

She had driven Care Quality Commission (CQC) improvements with medical care and maternity services rated as good from requires improvement, added Dr Constable.

And County Hospital, formerly Mid Staffordshire, had moved from an overall requires improvement rating to good, something that had not been achieved for over a decade, he said.

"She leads with all the right values, to the highest of standards, and fully demonstrates what is powerful, positive and achievable through exceptional nursing leadership."

Elsewhere, Kerry Davis from Lichfield, the first black woman to play football for England, is made MBE.

She made her debut as a Lioness at Crewe's Gresty Road stadium against Northern Ireland in 1982, going on represent her country a further 81 times until 1998.

Speaking to the BBC in 2024, Davis said: "It's for other people to say whether I'm a pioneer or a trailblazer. It's not for me to say that."

• Gillian Boast, from Burton-on-Trent, is appointed MBE for services to primary care nursing
• Dr Paul Kevin Hegarty, from Lichfield, is appointed MBE for charitable service to the hospitality sector
• Dr Catherine Louise Taylor-Weetman, from Lichfield, is appointed MBE for services to dentistry
• Susan Jane Bohanan, from Stafford, is awarded a BEM for services to the community in Staffordshire
• Philip John Charles, from Rugeley, is awarded a BEM for services to the community in Abbots Bromley
• Russell David Clark, from Newcastle-under-Lyme, is awarded a BEM for services to higher education
• Joan Catherine Fairley, from Tamworth, is awarded a BEM for services to the community in Sutton Coldfield
• Richard Graham Hill, from Stoke-on-Trent, is awarded a BEM for services to charity in Staffordshire
• Charles Frederick Hodges, from Stourbridge, is awarded a BEM for services to the community in Enville

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