We are delighted to announce Tom Rose, a St Barnabas Specialist Dementia Nurse, has been awarded the coveted title of Queen’s Nurse.
With over fifteen years of experience in the healthcare sector and a Master’s degree in Dementia Studies, Tom is a clinical nurse specialist in dementia care, providing one-to-one support, guidance and solutions to help families across Lincolnshire live more positively with dementia each day.
Tom works for St Barnabas as the clinical lead for the Admiral Nurse service, a collaboration between St Barnabas and Dementia UK to enable the best possible support to people living with dementia, their families, friends, and carers.
The title of Queen’s Nurse is only awarded to those with a high level of outstanding commitment to patient care and nursing practice. The application process is extremely competitive and includes a lengthy submission, along with recommendations from two clients the candidate has worked with.
Tom says: “It’s a great honour and privilege to receive this recognition. It isn’t something that I ever thought I would be in a position to achieve. My role as an Admiral Nurse has been fantastic, with support from St Barnabas and Dementia UK to both champion and develop nurse leaders and support the development of dementia services in Lincolnshire.
“I see this award as another step on a journey, not an endpoint. My aim is to continue to learn, to support others in their development and to continue to act as an advocate for those families affected by dementia in Lincolnshire each day.
“I would like to thank the people who supported my application for Queen’s Nurse, as well as colleagues and family who encouraged me to apply.”
Interestingly, Tom never intended to go into the healthcare sector. He studied physics at university and took on a job in a local care home after graduation, which he envisioned would be temporary. Instead, he found the work so rewarding, he applied for mental health nurse training and never looked back.
Over the past decade and a half, Tom has made it his mission to support to those who need it, and he has primarily been working with older people in hospital and community settings.
He says: “It’s a cliché, but I couldn’t picture myself doing anything else now. I find people fascinating, and it’s a privilege to listen to people tell me about their lives and what’s most important to them and then work to support that.
“I’ve supported such a range of people from musicians to famers, homemakers, teachers, lawyers, people who are still covered under the Official Secrets Act, from those who are very affluent to those who struggle financially all their lives. They are people from all walks of life and places of birth.
“Dementia doesn’t discriminate but the core of my job has always been to support the person, not the disease.”
To find out more about the support St Barnabas can offer to dementia patients, their families and carers, visit: https://stbarnabashospice.co.uk/services/dementia-support/