Pathway to Excellence® at RHN recognised by Chief Nursing Officer for England

The Royal Hospital for Neuro-disability (RHN) welcomed Duncan Burton, Chief Nursing Officer for England, and Elaine Clancy, Chief Nursing Officer for South West London Integrated Care Board, as part of celebrations marking the first anniversary of the hospital’s Pathway to Excellence® designation.

During their visit, Duncan and Elaine met patients, families, and colleagues from across the workforce, hearing first-hand how Pathway to Excellence® has strengthened the RHN’s culture of wellbeing, shared leadership, and professional development. They saw how this culture is supporting staff to thrive and directly enhancing care for patients and residents.

As part of the visit, Duncan presented a Chief Nursing Officer for England  Silver Award to the RHN’s Long-Term Ventilation and Complex Respiratory Team. The award highlighted the team’s expertise in delivering specialist respiratory care, including long-term ventilation, tracheostomy management, and complex respiratory support. Working in close partnership with patients and families, the team provides safe, compassionate, and highly individualised care, ensuring people with complex needs receive the highest standards of treatment and support.

The visit also included a welcome from Paul Allen, Chief Executive, who outlined the RHN’s strategy and celebrated the commitment of colleagues in delivering specialist neuro-disability care. Della Warren, Director of Nursing, and Justin Finbow, Pathway to Excellence Programme Director and Matron, shared highlights from the RHN’s Pathway to Excellence® journey, showing how it has improved retention, supported career progression, and contributed to consistently high-quality outcomes for patients and residents.

Paul Allen, Chief Executive of the RHN, said:

“The Chief Nursing Office award is a tremendous recognition for our Long-Term Ventilation and Complex Respiratory Team, who are at the forefront of delivering specialist care for people with highly complex needs. It reflects not only their clinical expertise but also the way they work in partnership with patients and families. Their service represents the very best of the RHN – compassionate, innovative, and collaborative.”