Nurses, doctors and surgeons are among dozens of NHS staff on the 2024 New Year Honour list, released today (Friday 29 December).  

The head of the NHS, Amanda Pritchard, praised the efforts of those recognised in what has been another challenging year for the health service.   

This year in the NHS’s 75th year, staff have dealt with record levels of demand, rolled-out “life-changing” diabetes technology and ensured thousands more women can access a proven risk-reducing drug to help prevent breast cancer, as well as launching the first ever NHS Long-Term Workforce Plan, despite more than 40 days of industrial strike action in 2023.

Among the staff recognised for their hard work and dedication is Professor Simon Kenny, NHS national clinical director for Children and Young People, from Merseyside, who has been awarded an OBE for services to Paediatric Surgery. He has been a consultant paediatric and neonatal surgeon at Alder Hey Children’s NHS Foundation Trust in Liverpool since 2003, introducing advanced minimally invasive paediatric surgery. He continues to make a difference in the lives of patients through his tireless work to make improvements in children’s surgery.  

Professor Tim Kendall, lately National Clinical Director for Mental Health has also been honoured for services to Mental Health Care in England.

NHS Chief Executive, Amanda Pritchard, said: “As we approach the end of a year in which the NHS has marked major milestones and made real progress for patients, while also dealing with unprecedented challenges, it is wonderful to see so many of our colleagues honoured for the contribution they’ve made.

“Whether leading improvements in nursing, mental health and paediatric surgery, tackling health inequalities or delivering life-saving critical care, the difference that each of those honoured has made for patients is immense.

“I know millions of people across the country will join me in expressing our gratitude to them, and to all of our staff, who continue to go above and beyond every day to deliver the best possible care for patients.” 

While James McLean, Joint Regional Chief Nurse for NHS England in the North West and former Deputy Chief Nurse for Programme Delivery at Health Education England, receives an MBE for services to Nursing. James McLean said: “I am immensely proud to have been recognised in this way and deeply humbled as I have worked with some truly amazing people throughout my career.”  

Professor Margaret Rae, NHS England South West’s Deputy Director of Regional Health Programmes and Head of School for Public Health Specialist Training, has received a CBE for her services to Public Health and to Public Health Standards. Professor Margaret Rae, former president of the Faculty of Public Health and current President of the RSM Epidemiology and Public Health Section, said: “I am deeply honoured to receive this award which I hope recognises all those working in Public Health. I would also like to thank colleagues for their help and support throughout my career. Public Health is a small but vital speciality and I have always found it a privilege to protect and promote the health of the public.”  

Director of Nursing, Professional, and System Development Jill Crook, from Gloucestershire, has been awarded a BEM for services to Transforming Care, Learning Disability and Autism. Jill Crook said: “It is an honour to be recognised for and awarded a British Empire Medal in this year’s New Year’s honours list. The award represents the sheer dedication and commitment to improving health care and outcomes for individuals with a learning disability and autistic people in the South West. Without the proactive, innovative work happening at a regional, and local level, we would not be seeing the improvements we are today”.  

Others recognised include: 

• Professor Ulrike Schmidt, Professor of Eating Disorders, King’s College London and Consultant Psychiatrist, South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust has been awarded an OBE for services to People with Eating Disorders.
• Lorraine Sunduza, Lately Chief Nurse for the East London NHS Foundation Trust has been awarded an OBE for services to Mental and Community Health.
• Debbie Brown, Advanced Nurse Practitioner and Clinical Director for the Lewisham Community Education Provider Network Training Hub has been awarded an MBE for services to Nursing and the NHS.
• David Cochrane, Head of Forensic Social Work, Forensic Mental Health and High Secure Care, at the West London NHS Trust has been awarded an MBE for services to Health and Social Care.
• Dr Fenella Leach (Fenella Wrigley) who is the Chief Medical Officer and Deputy Chief Executive for the London Ambulance Service NHS Trust has been awarded an MBE for services to the NHS.
• The Executive Director of Performance at NHS England, London, Martin Machray, has been awarded an MBE for services to Healthcare.
• Huda Mohamed, who is the Female Genital Mutilation Specialist Lead Midwife at Whittington Health NHS Trust, has been awarded an MBE for services to Midwifery.
• Dr Meenakshi Nagpaul (Meena Thakur) a GP at Honeypot Medical Centre and Clinical Director, Harrow East Primary Care Network has been awarded an MBE for services to the NHS.
• Belinda Voos, a lately Nurse Consultant in Paediatric Neurosurgery at Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children NHS Foundation Trust has been awarded an MBE for services to Paediatric Neurosurgical Nursing.
• Shekhar Biyani, Consultant Urological Surgeon at Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, has been awarded the Medal of the Order of the British Empire (BEM) for Services to Medical Education.
• Dr Jahangir Alom has been awarded a BEM for services to Tackling Health Inequalities, particularly during Covid-19.
• Dr Fiona Butler, Principal in General Practice, Health Partners at Violet Melchett has been awarded an BEM for services to the community in West London.
• Charity Gladstone the Lately Matron of Cardiology and Respiratory Services at Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust has been awarded an MBE for services to Nursing.
• Professor Bryan Williams, Chair of Medicine, University College London and lately Director of Research, University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust has been awarded an OBE for services to Medicine.
• Trudy Berlet, the Lately Lead Midwife for Bereavement Care for Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust has been awarded an MBE for services to Midwifery.
• Carl Smith, Advanced Paramedic in Critical Care, East of England Ambulance Service NHS Trust, Head, Clinical Development for Emergency and Critical Care, College of Paramedics and Firefighter, Norfolk Fire and Rescue Service has been awarded a BEM for services to the NHS and to Fire and Rescue.
• Professor Mark Wilcox, National Clinical Director, Antimicrobial Resistance and Infection Prevention and Control for NHS England and Chair, SAGE Sub-Committee on Hospital Onset Covid Infection has been awarded an OBE for services to Healthcare, particularly during Covid-19.
• Fiona Lindop, Specialist Physiotherapist in Parkinson’s Disease, University Hospitals of Derby and Burton NHS Foundation Trust has been awarded an OBE for services to Physiotherapy.
• Mary Woods, Lately Nurse Consultant, The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust has been awarded an MBE for services to Lymphoedema.
• Moses Ayoola, Director, Estates and Facilities, Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust and Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust has been awarded a BEM for services to Leadership in the NHS.
• Catherine Edwards, Lately Clinical Programmes Director, National Specialised Commissioning, has been awarded an OBE for services to the NHS.
• Dr Lisa Ritchie, Head of Infection Prevention and Control, NHS England has been awarded an OBE for services to healthcare, particularly during Covid-19.