A nurse at Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust has received national recognition for her contribution to patient care, professional development and leadership within community nursing.
Annie Webster, Lead Advanced Practitioner at NSFT, has been awarded the Queen’s Nurse title by the Queen’s Institute of Community Nursing. The charity recognises excellence and leadership among nurses working in community settings across the UK. The Queen’s Nurse title is awarded to registered nurses with more than five years’ experience, supported by nominations that include feedback from both managers and patients.
Annie received her Queen’s Nurse badge and certificate at a ceremony held in London on 28 November. The award was presented by Karen Bonner BEM, London’s Chief Nurse at NHS England. The Queen’s Nurse award for NSFT nurse places Annie among a nationally recognised group of experienced community practitioners.
She said she was “extremely honoured” to receive the recognition. Annie added: “I felt extremely honoured to receive my award and greatly enjoyed sharing this experience with fellow nurses from across the UK. I hope the accolade of Queen’s Nurse will provide further opportunities to champion the voice of nurses within the Trust.”
Annie has worked as a Learning Disability Nurse for almost 30 years. She joined NSFT in November 2016, initially working in the Emergency Mental Health Team in Ipswich before moving to the Suffolk under-18 ADHD service in 2018. She completed her advanced practice programme in 2019 and went on to hold advanced practice and clinical leadership roles within neurodevelopmental services.
In January 2025, Annie took up her current role as Trust Lead for Advanced Practice and Non-Medical Prescribing. In this post, she supports the development, governance and professional practice of clinicians working in highly autonomous roles across the Trust. The Queen’s Nurse award for NSFT nurse reflects her ongoing contribution to workforce development and patient care.
She said: “With my background in education, I have always been committed to developing others. I feel privileged to be working with such dedicated clinicians who provide a high standard of care to patients and their families.”
Anthony Deery, Chief Nurse at NSFT, said: “Annie is an outstanding nurse whose leadership, knowledge and dedication have helped shape advanced practice and non-medical prescribing at NSFT.
“Her commitment to developing the nursing workforce and maintaining the highest standards of care for patients and families makes her a truly deserving recipient of the Queen’s Nurse title.”
Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust provides mental health and learning disability services to a population of more than 1.6 million people across the two counties. The Trust employs over 5,000 staff working from more than 50 locations.
