The William Rathbone X Annual Award and Lecture 2025

The William Rathbone X Annual Lecture and Award Ceremony were held in central London earlier this year.

The prestigious event was attended by national and regional nursing leaders and figures in wider health and social care.

Professor John Unsworth OBE, Chair of the Queen’s Institute of Community Nursing (QICN), and Dr Crystal Oldman CBE, QICN chief executive welcomed Professor Olga Yakusheva, of Johns Hopkins University in the United States, who gave the lecture on the subject of ‘The Human Capital Approach to Nursing Value and Payment’.

A leading expert in health economics, Professor Yakusheva has dedicated much of her work to highlighting the financial impact of nursing and its contribution to better outcomes for individuals, organisations, and society.

The lecture aimed to strengthen the case for investing in nursing at a time when this is challenged in many health systems.

Professor Yakusheva explained how greater nursing resources can be achieved within existing budgets.

View the photos of the event here. 

Watch the recording of the event here.

Dr Oldman CBE said: “The William Rathbone X award provides an opportunity to celebrate all those shortlisted – each one of them outstanding in their leadership of community nursing services.

“My congratulations to Carolyn on this deserved recognition. Her nomination is testament to the huge range and complexity of work that community nursing leaders undertake in today’s health and social care system.

“I am delighted that we have been able to recognise a leader from the voluntary sector and also help to highlight the vital work that hospices undertake.”

The William Rathbone X Annual Award for Excellence in the Executive Nurse Leadership of Community Nursing Services is one of the most prestigious awards offered by the Queen’s Institute of Community Nursing (QICN).

The QICN recognises the necessity of excellent leadership at a strategic level in the delivery of excellent nursing care in the community.

This annual award provides the recognition of the impact of excellent strategic nursing leadership, support for staff and the consequent positive outcomes for patient experiences in the delivery of community nursing services.

Nominations were received from chief executives of community healthcare provider organisations.

The winner was Carolyn Bell, Director of Patient Services at Prospect Hospice in Swindon, Wiltshire. The Award was presented to Carolyn Bell by Lucy Rathbone, daughter of the late William Rathbone.

Carolyn’s nomination by her employer explained how she played a pivotal role in transforming Prospect from a ‘Requires Improvement’ to an ‘Outstanding’ CQC rating by implementing effective systems that motivated staff and centred care on patients and families.

Her leadership fosters innovation, professional growth, and high staff satisfaction. She actively contributes to regional dementia and palliative care strategies, strengthens alliances within healthcare networks, and drives community outreach, such as the memory café and dementia carer events.

Carolyn’s commitment to continuous improvement and collaboration has significantly enhanced patient care and Prospect’s reputation as a leader in end-of-life care.

The nomination described Carolyn as a visionary leader known for her innovative approaches in healthcare, particularly in collaboration with the Motor Neurone Disease Association.

Her leadership led to the creation of crucial roles, improved hospital discharge practices and groundbreaking research on choking management.

Carolyn’s commitment to collaboration, professional development, and patient-centred care has inspired colleagues and enhanced services for patients with frailty, heart failure, and MND, ensuring the best possible outcomes for families and staff alike.

MNDA’s (Motor Neurone Disease Association’s) Head of Regional Services & Partnerships said: “Right from the start Carolyn saw the huge potential of Prospect and MNDA joining forces to develop a desperately needed, new, gold standard service for people with and affected by MND in Swindon.

“Carolyn’s commitment to collaboration, innovation and to delivering the best gives such great energy to our partnership.”

They concluded: “Always positive and solution focused, with Carolyn’s leadership on board we now look forward to the future with great confidence.”