King hosts celebration of international nurses and midwives
Hundreds of overseas nurses and midwives attended a reception at Buckingham Palace on the King’s birthday as part of celebrations for 75 years of the NHS
Hundreds of nurses and midwives attended a reception at Buckingham Palace last night hosted by the King on his 75th birthday.
Royal reception celebrates international NHS nurses and midwives on King’s birthday
The event, which is part of the NHS 75 celebrations, highlighted the contribution of the international nursing and midwifery workforce over the decades.
Chief nursing officer for England Ruth May and deputy chief nursing officer for Northern Ireland Mary Frances McManus were among those to greet the King, alongside 400 nurses and midwives from all backgrounds, including some of the 150,000 international nurses currently working in the UK.
Humbled & honoured to be invited to reception at Buckingham Palace today by His Majesty, King Charles in acknowledgment of invaluable contribution of IENMs in the UK
— Susie M. Lagrata (@SusieLagrata) November 14, 2023
Fortunate to speak with His Majesty the King, sharing insights about the thriving Filipino nursing community in UK pic.twitter.com/fK5c3CakXz
The King met nurses who have come to work in the NHS from countries such as India, the Philippines, Poland and Kenya.
Nurses said they were honoured and proud to receive the invitation to the palace. Moorfields Eye Hospital senior theatre nurse practitioner Cecelia Tribunal, originally from the Philippines, said she was ‘profoundly grateful’.
Nurses ‘delighted, privileged and honoured’ to be invited to the palace
Somerset NHS Foundation Trust nurse and inclusion lead Sun Sander-Jackson was also among those at Buckingham Palace. She was recently appointed regional lead for the south west for the chief nursing officer and chief midwifery officer’s black minority ethnic strategy advisory group.
She tweeted that she was ‘privileged and honoured’ to represent nurses at the event.
Others on the guest list included deputy ward sister Bincy Jose and nurse Annabelle Dalangin who work for Southern Health and Social Care Trust in Northern Ireland.
Clinical educator Matt Achurra and matron André Santos, both from Royal Papworth Hospital, also attended the reception. Mr Achurra is from the Philippines and arrived in the UK in 1999, while Mr Santos is from Portugal and moved to the UK in 2011.
Senior nurses praise contributions of overseas staff
Royal Papworth chief nurse Maura Screaton said: ‘We are incredibly proud of them both – as we are all our overseas nurses – for their commitment to our patients and the NHS.
‘Overseas nurses bring excellence, a diversity of skills, and a cultural vibrancy to our hospital, helping us to provide inclusive care to our patients of all backgrounds. It’s why we go above and beyond to provide outstanding pastoral support to nurses who arrive from outside the UK, at every stage of their journey.’
The King also met with refugee nurses and representatives from international nursing and midwifery associations. The reception concluded with a birthday song performed by the NHS choir.
I don’t know where HM King Charles @RoyalFamily gets his energy from but spending your birthday with 400+ International Nurses & Midwives is a feat in itself!
— Louie Horne BEM 💙 (@Louie_Horne) November 15, 2023
Thank you for being so gracious, listened to all our quirky but unique stories❤️
We get to sing him a Happy birthday! pic.twitter.com/eqF9Il7DEh
Today we were honoured to be present at the Kings NHS 75th celebration representing the contributions of Arab nursing and midwifery to the NHS since it’s creation @RoyalFamily #NHS75 @OfrahRn @MuflihiAfrah @theRCN @SWBHnhs @WalsallHcareNHS pic.twitter.com/ja9TNooDYm
— British Arab Nursing and Midwifery Association UK (@Banma2023) November 14, 2023
Kings Charles 75th birthday reception at Buckingham Palace - several #Nigerian #Nurses were in attendance @wendyolayiwola @m_adekunle22 pic.twitter.com/mlzoPxGmwv
— Felicia Kwaku, OBE (@felicia_kwaku) November 14, 2023
A surreal day to be in attendance at Buckingham Palace for a celebration of the contribution from International Nurses & Midwives on behalf of @NursesSikh, an honour to meet his Royal Majesty King Charles @RoyalFamily on his 75th Birthday. Thankyou @CNOEngland @duncan_CNSE 💙#NHS pic.twitter.com/6Z8i9m9ohO
— Nina Jaspal (@NinaJaspal) November 14, 2023
A privilege to be invited to Buckingham Palace today for a reception to celebrate nurses and midwives in the UK. 😊 @RoyalFamily @felicia_kwaku @nafiza_anwar @NinaJaspal @NursesSikh @CNOBME_SAG @CNOEngland @CNOWales @TanDhesi @PreetKGillMP @NursingTimes @nmcnews @SheilaSobrany… pic.twitter.com/C7emyNafZp
— Rohit Sagoo (@RohitSagoo) November 14, 2023
This evening The King hosted a reception to celebrate nurses and midwives working in the UK.
— The Royal Family (@RoyalFamily) November 14, 2023
The event - part of the #NHS75 celebrations - happily coincides with His Majesty’s own 75th birthday! pic.twitter.com/IOja5ckTbL
Jeni was part of the first group of Filipino nurses to start working for Birmingham Heartlands Hospital in 1999.
— NHS England (@NHSEngland) November 14, 2023
Today, she met His Majesty The King at a birthday event highlighting the invaluable contributions of international nurses to the NHS. #KingCharlesAt75 💙 pic.twitter.com/guhJ1uV9x3
An incredible afternoon spent at Buckingham Palace, celebrating the Kings birthday and the contribution of all Nurses. To be surrounded by such inspirational people was the icing on the cake @CNOEngland @NinaJaspal Samsha @CNOBME_SAG @nag2710 @GEHNHSnews pic.twitter.com/fLoCETKfze
— Lorna jones (@Jones68Co) November 14, 2023
Our founders @OfrahRn @MuflihiAfrah met @CMidOEngland it was wonderful to introduce the British Arab Nursing and Midwifery Association to Kate @SWBHnhs @WalsallHcareNHS @theRCN @local_maternity @josellwright @helenhu68431879 pic.twitter.com/QE9LQdugbP
— British Arab Nursing and Midwifery Association UK (@Banma2023) November 14, 2023
My 10 year old self, from a tiny town in the Philippines, is proud of what she became, and is becoming.
— ReginaReyes (@reginareyes92) November 15, 2023
Maraming Salamat, Diolch, Your Majesty The King. @RoyalFamily @AneurinBevanUHB @ABUHB_Research @CNOWales pic.twitter.com/zVKinbLGCG
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