Sheffield Hallam University: South Yorkshire mental health nurse made Queen's Nurse at special London ceremony

Jo Painter, who is also a lecturer in nursing at Sheffield Hallam University, works to improve the physical health of people affected by severe mental health illnesses. The prestigious honour of becoming a Queen’s Nurse is awarded to community nurses who demonstrate a high level of commitment to patient care.

Jo said: “I am proud of being awarded the title – I think maybe I had under-estimated the reach and the profile of the QNI and the Queen’s Nurse network and indeed the reaction to the award. It is a well-known and acknowledged award in general/district nursing, but less so in mental health.”

Jo was presented with her commemorative Queen’s Nurse badge at a special award ceremony in London, along with other recipients of the award from across the country.

"It’s also tinged with a little sadness,” she said, “My former NHS job share partner Julie and I had aspired to gain the award together, unfortunately we lost her to cancer in 2021, which probably motivated me more to pursue it. I consider it a joint achievement. She was an inspirational nurse and colleague with 40yrs NHS experience, and she taught me a huge amount.”

Jo qualified as a nurse 26 years ago, in 1997, and trained in Rotherham and worked for a while at, what is now, Swallownest Court’s Goldcrest Ward, where she met her husband, Jon, who is also a nurse and lectures in mental health nursing at Sheffield Hallam University.