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Former government Chief Nursing Officer is appointed Honorary Fellow of Canterbury Christ Church University

22 February 2006

Canterbury Christ Church University officially welcomed The Reverend Dame Sarah Mullally into its honorary fellowship on the same day that nursing, midwifery, occupational therapy and medical imaging students graduated at Canterbury Cathedral.

The Reverend Dame Sarah Mullally
The Reverend Dame Sarah Mullally

The Reverend Dame Sarah Mullally, who formerly led 420,000 nurses, midwives and health visitors and delivered the Government’s strategy for nursing and midwifery, said: “I’m delighted to accept the honorary fellowship in recognition of the contribution nurses make to the health service and the difference they make to people’s lives on a daily basis.”

Vice Chancellor of Canterbury Christ Church University, Professor Michael Wright, said: “Honorary Fellowships are awarded by the University in recognition of outstanding service and achievements in the fields of education and public life. The Reverend Sarah Mullally was the Government’s most senior nursing advisor and was made Dame Commander of the British Empire in recognition for her contribution to nursing and midwifery. I hope her appointment as honorary fellow will be an inspiration to our new health and social care graduates as they start out on their new career paths.”

Notes to Editor

The Reverend Dame Sarah Mullally biography

The Reverend Dame Sarah Mullally has been an Assistant Curate in a Church of England Parish of Battersea since October 2004 after leaving the position of Chief Nursing Officer in the Department of Health. Appointed in November 1999, she was the youngest ever Chief Nursing Officer and as the Government’s most senior nursing adviser, she had responsibility for delivering the Government’s strategy for nursing and midwifery and led over 420,000 nurses, midwives and health visitors.

During her time as Chief Nursing Officer, Rev Dame Mullally oversaw the return of the Matron, a substantial increase in the number of nurses and midwives in the NHS and an increase in the opportunities for users to be involved in healthcare.

Rev Dame Mullally began her nursing career at South Bank Polytechnic in 1980 and became a Registered General Nurse with a BSc (Hons) in Nursing Studies. She returned again to South Bank in 1990 and obtained an MSc in Inter-professional Health and Welfare Studies which included a distinction in research.

Rev Dame Mullally became a Deacon in the Church of England in 2001 and a Priest in 2002. She is currently studying for an MA in Pastoral Theology. She became an Independent Governor for the London South Bank University in August 2005 and a non executive director of The Royal Mardsen NHS Foundation Trust in November 2005. Also in 2005, she became a Dame Commander of the British Empire in recognition for her contribution to nursing and midwifery.

Canterbury Christ Church University

Canterbury Christ Church University is the largest centre of higher education in Kent for public services – notably teacher training, policing and health and social care. The University is also a significant provider of programmes in a wide range of academic areas within its Faculties of Arts and Humanities and Business and Sciences.

In the most recent survey of UK higher education institutions, the Higher Education Funding Council (HEFCE) placed Canterbury Christ Church joint fourteenth for student employability and 35th for average graduate earnings out of 162 institutions.

From a small independent College of less than five hundred students – all training to be school teachers – in the 1960s, we have grown to a fully fledged university with 14,000 students and 1,000 staff members with campuses in Canterbury, Tunbridge Wells, Broadstairs and Chatham. Our teaching and learning facility for health, education and policing students at Chatham is part of the Universities At Medway Project in partnership with the Universities of Greenwich and Kent with Mid-Kent College.

As an outward looking University and a Church of England foundation, our mission is to provide excellent academic and professional education underpinned by research, scholarship and creative work and by Christian principles and values.

For media enquiries:

Claire Robinson
01227 782391