Our Connections with the Queen’s Nursing Institute Scotland
We have strong connections with the Queen’s Nursing Institute Scotland (QNIS), which emerged out of the Queen Victoria's Jubilee Institute for Nurses.
The idea of a Scottish council of the Jubilee Institute was first mooted at a public meeting in Edinburgh in December 1888 - this was the origin of the QNIS.
Like most charitable bodies at the time, members of the aristocracy dominated, sometimes serving both on the Scottish and London councils of the Jubilee Institute. The Council laid down the ‘Conditions of Affiliation’ for district nursing associations, which included the qualifications and organisation of what were known as Queen’s Nurses.
In 1948, when the NHS began operating, employment of district nurses transferred to local authorities. During the 1950s, over fifty accredited training centres training 700 nurses a year were affiliated to the Institute. However, there were lengthy debates with the Ministry of Health about district nurse training and finally, the Institute ceased to offer full training in 1968.
Since the 1970s, QMU has offered district nursing training.
The original Queen’s Nurses continued to work in Scotland throughout the 20th century and beyond, with the last Queen’s Nurse retiring in 2014.
In 2017, after a break of almost 50 years, the QNIS reintroduced the Queen’s Nurse title to Scotland. Executive nurses across Scotland from the NHS, third and independent sectors were asked to nominate expert practitioners. Successful candidates took part in a nine-month programme of workshops and coaching whilst working on a development project and the first awards were held in November 2017.
Each year, the Queen’s Nurse title is awarded to a number of selected clinical leaders ‘who can demonstrate their impact as expert practitioners’. Julie Churchill, a Senior Lecturer in Community Nursing at QMU, and Specialist Practitioner District Nurse was awarded the Queen’s Nurse title in 2017. Professor Brendan McCormack, previously Head of the Division of Nursing (2014 -2022) was central to the development of the Queen's Nurse Programme. Clare Cable, Chief Executive and Nurse Director of QNIS from 2014-2024 was awarded an honorary professorial role within the Division of Nursing and Paramedic Science.
Retired Queen's Nurses have been to speak with District Nursing students at QMU to enable intergenerational learning through the sharing of knowledge, experience, and enthusiasm for an area of nursing which invokes huge passion and pride in those who work within this area.
Dr Sarah Doyle, QNIS Chief Executive and Nurse Director, said: “QNIS is a small charity that supports, develops, and inspires Scotland’s community nurses and midwives, encouraging them to tackle health and care inequalities in collaboration with the people they care for. We really value the strong links we have built with staff and students at Queen Margaret University, and we look forward to continuing these.”
