Several local nurses from the Western Health & Social Care Trust have won awards at the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) Northern Ireland Nurse of the Year Awards 2026 held at the Culloden Hotel, Holywood last Thursday (June 5).
Paying tribute to the nursing profession the Health Minister Mike Nesbitt said: “Many congratulations to all of tonight’s nominees and winners and thank you, thank you to every one of you, for everything you do. To your families and colleagues, I extend our deepest appreciation for your steadfast support.
“I’m out and about in health and social care settings every week, meeting nurses, marvelling at your brilliant combination of professionalism, based on your training and experience and your compassion, based on your humanity and ability to empathise. Your dedication and care to those who are in need is unwavering and untiring and for that we salute you.
“Events like this matter. Not because of the awards themselves, important as they are, but because they give us a moment to pause, to reflect, and to say publicly and without reservation: thank you. Thank you for the skill you bring, the compassion you show, and the quiet leadership you demonstrate every single day, often far from the spotlight.”
9. Pictured (L-R) are: Matthew Reed, Marie Curie, Marie Donnelly, winner of the Palliative Care Nursing Award and Professor Rita Devlin, RCN Northern Ireland Executive Director. Marie Donnelly, Advanced Nurse Practitioner in Palliative Care at the Western Trust, won the Palliative Care Award, sponsored by Marie Curie. She was recognised for identifying a critical gap in end-of-life care, where patients in the community did not always have timely access to medication for pain and symptom management. Motivated to reduce distress and avoid unnecessary hospital admissions, Marie led the development of the ‘Just in Case Service’, which focuses on early planning and supporting patients to remain at home. Through strong partnership working and innovation, she developed a bespoke patient booklet and secured support for wider implementation. The service has since been successfully rolled out across community settings and continues to expand, with her work significantly improving the quality and timeliness of end-of-life care.
RCN
10. Pictured (L-R) are: Professor Tanya McCance, Ulster University, Dr Andrea Shepherd, winner of the Nursing Research Award and Professor Rita Devlin, RCN Northern Ireland Executive Director. Dr Andrea Shepherd, from Derry, won the Nursing Research Award in recognition of her groundbreaking person-centred research into families’ experiences of brain-computer interface (BCI) technology. As Head of the School of Nursing and Paramedic Science at Ulster University, Andrea has led pioneering work that explores the emotional tensions families face between hope for reconnection and the uncertainty of outcomes for loved ones living with severe neurological conditions. Her research has informed the development of a new framework to guide ethical, person-centred nursing practice, highlighting the vital role of nurses in supporting families and the importance of embedding family perspectives within emerging neurotechnology services.
RCN