A SENIOR nurse from Greenock has earned 'royal' recognition after taking part in a development programme to boost her skills.

Lynsey Callaghan, who is a member of NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde’s family nurse partnership team, has been awarded the coveted Queen’s Nurse title.

Greenock Telegraph: Lynsey Callaghan

Family nurse partnership supervisor Lynsey was selected earlier this year to take part in a nine-month scheme by the Queen’s Nursing Institute Scotland (QNIS).

After completing the programme successfully, she was awarded the Queen’s Nurse title along with 23 other community nurses and midwives at a ceremony in Edinburgh.

Lynsey, who leads FNP teams across Renfrewshire and Inverclyde, said: "The leadership development programme has enabled me to think and reflect more deeply about my leadership practice, how to best support others to build their own capacity and to deliver excellence in care to our clients.

“I am currently progressing an issue for development which will support teams to deliver advanced practice intervention to support our clients in their maternal role."

Lynsey has been congratulated by health board management for her achievement.

Professor Angela Wallace, NHS GGC director of nursing, said: "It is always a source of immense pride for one of our nurses to be awarded the title of Queen's Nurse and everyone at NHS GGC is delighted that Lynsey has been honoured in this way.

"The work of the Family Nurse Partnership contributes so much to ensuring better positive outcomes for infants and it is through the dedicated work of professionals such as Lynsey and her colleagues that this is achieved."

Queen’s Nursing in Scotland dates back to the late 19th century, when nurses completed specific training which allowed them to work as district nurses.

They provided healthcare and health promotion to people in their own homes and became well respected figures within their community.

Following the introduction of a national certificate for district nursing, QNIS ceased training, awarding the original title for the final time in 1969.

The Queen’s Nurse title was reintroduced to Scotland in 2017, with 20 community nurses chosen to take part in a transformational development programme which would see them become the first modern Queen’s Nurses.

There are now over 150 contemporary Queen’s Nurses working across Scotland.

Clare Cable, QNIS chief executive, said: “From the late 1880s, Queen’s Nurses were social reformers who were taking public health into people’s homes to help families take better care of themselves.

"The modern Queen’s Nurses are building on this proud heritage – sharing this pioneering spirit to improve the health and wellbeing of the communities of Scotland.

“Their roles vary, from bringing care to those who have experienced significant adversity to supporting people in mental distress or end of life care, but they all demonstrate nursing and midwifery excellence which makes a real difference to the lives of the people they work with."