Lochaber student receives nursing award
A Lochaber student has been presented with an award for his dedication to community nursing. Tony Clapham (47) received an academic award from the Queen’s Nursing Institute Scotland. The award is given to outstanding students who promote excellence in community nursing.
Tony, who lives in Roy Bridge, works as a community learning disabilities nurse with NHS Highland in Fort William and is also studying for a MA health and wellbeing with the University of the Highlands and Islands at Lews Castle College UHI. He was presented with a Queen’s Nursing Institute Scotland (QNIS) certificate and a cash prize by Rachel Erskine, the university’s programme leader for its MA health and wellbeing, in Inverness last month.
Speaking about the award, Tony said: “Receiving this award was humbling and an unexpected honour. As a learning disabilities nurse, a core part of my role is to identify and find ways to resolve the sometimes unexpected additional healthcare needs that my patients are more likely to experience. My studies have helped me to look into these challenges to their health in greater depth and to share that knowledge with others. I am grateful for the encouragement I have received from teaching staff at the University of the Highlands and Islands in helping me achieve this.”
Clare Cable, chief executive and nurse director of QNIS, said: “By illustrating his outstanding commitment to community nursing, Tony has continued the proud traditions of our Queen’s Nurses who, for many years, provided excellent nursing across the communities of the Highlands and Islands.”
Rachel Erskine added: “Tony is an excellent student and is a deserving recipient of this award. We are delighted to be building links between our MA health and wellbeing programme and the Queen’s Nursing Institute Scotland. We hope our relationship will continue to develop when the university starts to deliver pre-registration nurse education programme for BSc mental health nursing and BSc adult nursing next year.”
The Queen’s Nursing Institute Scotland is a charitable organisation which aims to promote excellence in community nursing to improve the health and well-being of the people of Scotland. Pat Tyrrell, deputy director of nursing and midwifery within NHS Highland, is a QNIS trustee.