We were delighted to welcome Duncan Burton, Chief Nursing Officer for England, to Queen’s Hospital to present an award to the family of Vikki Thorpe.

Vikki, who died in February, was posthumously nominated for a Chief Nursing Officer Award in recognition of her nursing career, and for working tirelessly to tackle inequalities in women’s health while providing the highest standard of care for patients with issues.

The award was presented to Vikki’s daughter, son and niece on the ward where she worked, Sunrise B.

Duncan Burton said:

Vikki’s passion and commitment led to real and lasting improvements in care for women and had a positive impact on those around her.

The difference Vikki made to patients and her colleagues is clear to see and it was an honour to present her family with a Chief Nursing Officer Award in recognition of this and her dedication to the nursing profession.

Petra Francis, Matron for Women’s Health and Vikki’s manager, added:

Always forward-thinking, Vikki actively led changes in how we work and continually sought out new ideas to enhance our practice.

Vikki was a natural leader who exemplified compassionate, kind and fair leadership. She believed deeply in others, encouraging and inspiring them to achieve their best.

Her vision and ethos remain a powerful and visible influence on our team today. We are proud to carry forward Vikki’s legacy as we continue to make a meaningful difference in the care we provide.

As well as presenting the award to Vikki’s family, Duncan joined our Chief Nursing Officer Nic Kane for a tour of our A&E and Maternity departments, where he spoke to our nursing staff about their experiences.

Nic said:

Vikki was a much-loved member of the nursing team at our Trust and we’re grateful that Duncan took the time to present her family with this award.

It was also wonderful to show him the patient journey through our services and highlight some of our recent improvements.