Lancashire and South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust learning disability nurse Esther Smith receives Queen’s Nurse award

Esther Smith, who works in the Learning Disability Service for Lancashire and South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust was recognised with a Queen’s Nurse Award at a recent special ceremony in London, which brought together more than 550 community nurses and highlighted the exceptional work they play across nursing services, education, innovation and leadership, as well as the vital role they play in the healthcare system.

The title of Queen’s Nurse is available to individual nurses who have demonstrated a high level of commitment to patient care and nursing practice and Esther, who has worked with those with learning disabilities since 1991, has done just that.

For around 17 years, Esther worked in East Lancashire as a Specialist Community Nurse, before in 2019 completing her Community Specialist Practitioner Post Graduate Degree programme which helped her link lifelong learning to clinical practice and leadership.

But Esther didn’t stop there, as she then went on to complete her Clinical Master’s qualifying as an Advanced Clinical Practitioner in 2023.

Today, she works as an all-age ACP within LSCft’s Learning Disability Services as a clinical leader for nurses, and the wider multi-disciplinary team in East Lancashire, working collaboratively with mental health services, patients, and their families and carers.

She is on hand to offer expert advice on how growing older affects those with learning disabilities, specifically Downs Syndrome.

On receiving the award from Dame Elizabeth Anionwu and Professor John Unsworth OBE, Esther said: “I am incredibly proud to have been recognised for my work and experience in nursing.

“I am proud to represent LSCft and especially all of my nursing colleagues who care for people with a learning disability, as well advocating for them and ensuring they have a voice. I am really passionate about working not only with them, but also their families, loved ones and carers to make a difference.”

Esther is showing no signs of slowing down having recently completed a sleep counselling course which means she can now offer consultation to those with a learning disability when they need support with sleep interventions, alongside her non-medical prescribing role.