NHS Sussex is celebrating the achievements of Jacqueline Whitnell, a nurse at Lime Tree Surgery in Worthing, after she was awarded a British Empire Medal in the New Year Honours.
The honour recognises Jacqueline’s outstanding service to the NHS and to higher education, and reflects a long and distinguished career marked by compassion, commitment and a lasting impact on patients, colleagues and students across Sussex and beyond.
Jacqueline first trained as a nurse at King’s College London in 1977. She went on to develop a wide-ranging nursing career, working as a general nurse and specialist children’s nurse before qualifying as a health visitor. In these roles, she supported children and families across London and the South East, including safeguarding work and advocacy with Gypsy, Romany and Traveller communities.
Alongside her clinical practice, Jacqueline moved into nurse education, holding senior lecturer roles at the University of Hertfordshire, the University of Greenwich and the University of Chichester. She taught and supported pre- and post-registration nursing students, as well as paramedics, midwives and early years practitioners, and continues to publish in the fields of child development and child and adolescent mental health.
During the Covid-19 pandemic in January 2021, Jacqueline answered the national call for retired health professionals to return to frontline services, joining the vaccination programme and helping to protect thousands of people in the community. She later chose to remain in patient-facing care, re-registering and retraining, and continues to deliver vaccination and immunisation sessions at Lime Tree Surgery today.
Despite personal health challenges, Jacqueline remains deeply committed to her patients, consistently going above and beyond to deliver high-quality care. NHS Sussex says her story reflects the dedication, resilience and professionalism seen across general practice teams in the county.
Jacqueline said: “I am incredibly honoured and surprised to receive this award. I have been very proud of my varied nursing career, and I have always considered it a privilege to care for people at some of the most important moments in their lives. I am proud to continue supporting patients and colleagues in my community.”
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