A nurse at the Cheshire and Wirral Partnership NHS Foundation Trust (CWP) has received the prestigious title of Queen’s Nurse.

Alex Haydock is a clinical nurse specialist.

He received his badge and certificate with 125 other newly named Queen’s Nurses at a ceremony in London led by Jane Cummings, chief nursing officer in England.

The trust provides mental health, learning disability and substance misuse services in Cheshire and Wirral as well as physical community services in Western Cheshire.

Alex, who works for CWP’s 16-19 child and adolescent mental health service, joins his wife Deborah who was named as a Queen’s Nurse last year.

Related story:

Deborah, is coordinator for academic quality in the health and social care faculty at Chester University .

The joint honour makes them one of only two known husband and wife Queen’s Nurse couples in the country.

CWP says Alex’s title indicates a commitment to high standards of patient care and continually improving practice.

As one of only a handful of Queen’s Nurses working in adolescent mental health he plans to use the role to highlight the importance of community mental health nursing.

Alex said: “I began my nursing career in 1977 and undertook various training opportunities to enhance my practice.

“Joining the network of Queen’s Nurses gives me the opportunity to raise the profile of the 16-19 service which I have been involved with since it began as a new concept in 2000.”

Avril Devaney, director of nursing and patient therapies at the trust added: “I am delighted that Alex has been given this title.

Related story:

“On behalf of CWP I would like to extend my congratulations to him and look forward to seeing more nurses follow in his footsteps.

“He joins a number of others who have achieved this distinguished award and it is testament to the dedication and commitment to high quality community care that we at CWP are passionate about.”

Dr Crystal Oldman, Chief Executive of the Queen’s Nursing Institute said, “Congratulations are due to Alex for his success.

“Community nurses are expert professionals who make a vital contribution to patient health and wellbeing every day.

“They operate in an ever more challenging world and our role is to support them as effectively as we can.

“The Queen’s Nurse title is a key part of this and we would encourage other community nurses to apply.”