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The chief executive of the community nurse organisation the Queen’s Nursing Institute is to receive an honorary doctorate for her work on promoting the sector from Buckinghamshire New University.
Dr Crystal Oldman, chief executive of the QNI, is to be awarded the honorary doctorate by the university for her leadership of the organisation and services to community nursing.
“She is an inspiration and an excellent role model within the nursing profession”
Sue Leddington
She will be presented with her honorary recognition at a ceremony at the Wycombe Swan Theatre in High Wycombe on 4 September, part of a week of graduation celebrations for the university.
Dr Oldman has links with the university, having previously worked at Bucks New for 18 years where she started out as a senior lecturer and finished as dean of business and enterprise.
She said she was “extremely proud and delighted” at the honorary title, adding: “I have many happy memories of supporting hundreds if not thousands of students in their learning and development.
“The philosophy of the university is one of supporting students as individuals to develop the skills, knowledge and attributes which will maximise their future careers,” she said.
“It is a critical value which resonates strongly with all professions, including nursing – my lifelong passion,” added Dr Oldman.
Sue Leddington, principal lecturer for quality enhancement at Bucks New, said: “It was a privilege to work both with and for Dr Oldman in the education of undergraduate and postgraduate nurses.
She described the QNI leader as an “inspiration and an excellent role model within the nursing profession”.
“She has always led the way in nursing developments and this can clearly be seen in her leadership of the QNI, engaging in public healthcare policy and in their new initiative around healthcare for the homeless,” said Ms Leddington.
“I have many happy memories of supporting hundreds if not thousands of students”
Crystal Oldman
Dr Oldman is also a governing body nurse with Buckinghamshire Clinical Commissioning Group and has chaired the NHS Improvement working group on safe caseloads in the district nursing service.
In addition, she has recently worked with the Nursing and Midwifery Council on new voluntary standards for district nursing and general practice nursing.
Dr Oldman started her NHS career in 1975 as a ward orderly and after qualifying as a nurse at University College Hospital, she worked in some of the most deprived communities in London.
Since arriving at the QNI in 2012, she has expanded the number of its charitable supporters. These now include the National Garden Scheme, the Burdett Trust for Nursing, the Oak Foundation and the Patron’s Fund, which distributes money raised for the Queens 90th birthday.
In recognition of her outstanding work, Dr Oldman was awarded a CBE in the 2017 Queen’s Birthday Honours List for services to community nursing and her leadership of the QNI.
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- Community nursing leader receives CBE from Queen
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