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Nursing leaders inspire and motivate. They advocate for nursing and for high-quality person-centred care and are prepared to challenge and speak up for nursing.

Open to all registered nurses and midwives working in a clinical leadership role in the health, social care or the higher/further education sector, this award aims to recognise an exceptional leader who, by inspiring others, has made a significant difference to service delivery and quality of care. 

Who could be nominated?

Registered nurses and midwives who are in a clinical leadership role within health and care in Scotland.

What was the criteria for consideration?

Each finalist must clearly demonstrate:

• effective leadership in creating an environment where nursing is valued, recognised and supported
• a commitment to person-centred care, innovation and delivering high-quality services that make a difference to the people receiving care
• the positive impact of their leadership for service users, families and colleagues
• the use of a credible evidence base and/or developing an evidence base to underpin the work for which they are being nominated
• how their work contributes to the delivery of local and national policy and strategy within health and social care.

If you have any questions or queries regarding the awards, please get in touch by emailing scotlandnurseawards@rcn.org.uk

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This award has kindly been sponsored by Anderson Strathern

Anderson Strathern’s legal specialists have represented RCN for more than 50 years. The firm’s service spans every area of the law, and for RCN, this has included regulatory law, personal injury law, employment law, criminal law, assistance with parliamentary and health policy law, and judicial review. Our relationship, and particularly their highly personalised approach, are second to none. 

The nominations process closed on 14 November 2025 and following our judging process, three finalists have been selected:

• Caroline Reid, Clinical Nurse Manager, Royal Aberdeen Children's Hospital, NHS Grampian
• Fiona Clark, Parkinson's Specialist Nurse, NHS Tayside
• Mike Spall-Hancy, Advanced Nurse Practitioner (Sexual Health & HIV), Lothian Sexual and Reproductive Health Services, NHS Lothian

You can read more below about why our judges feel these finalists represent the #BestOfNursing in Scotland.

The winners will be announced at our glittering awards ceremony at the National Museum of Scotland in Edinburgh on 30 April.

Clinical Nurse Manager
Royal Aberdeen Children's Hospital
NHS Grampian

Caroline is described as an outstanding nursing leader whose work exemplifies person-centred care, compassion, and professional excellence. As Clinical Nurse Manager at the Royal Aberdeen Children’s Hospital and Lead for Rewards and Recognition in NHS Grampian, she has transformed how nursing contributions are valued and celebrated. She introduced and expanded a wide range of recognition initiatives, including leading Scotland’s first implementation of the international DAISY (Diseases Attacking the Immune System) Award and developing peer-nominated awards that boost morale across the organisation. Grounded in evidence and demonstrating the impact of meaningful recognition on staff wellbeing, retention, workplace culture, and patient experience, Caroline’s work has led to measurable improvements. This includes high volumes of DAISY nominations from patients and families, stronger team cohesion, improved morale, and enhanced professional pride among nursing staff. Caroline actively shares her learning through national and international presentations, and her leadership aligns closely with Scottish health and workforce strategies aimed at valuing staff and promoting person-centred care. 

Parkinson's Specialist Nurse
NHS Tayside

Fiona is described as an exceptional frontline clinical leader whose career reflects bravery, innovation, and a strong commitment to person-centred care. As one of the first Band 5 nurses to co-chair the Area Nursing and Midwifery Advisory Committee, she has significantly influenced local and national nursing strategy and elevated the voice of early-career nurses. Now a Trainee Parkinson’s Specialist Nurse, Fiona has delivered measurable service improvements within her first 100 days. She developed a Parkinson’s Disease assessment tool to standardise documentation and support data collection, redesigned care home reviews to align with NICE guidelines, strengthened multidisciplinary collaboration, and used clinical data to improve medication management. A champion of inclusive leadership, she helped launch the Band 5 Leadership Programme with her collaborative, evidence-based approach, driven by compassion. Despite barriers, Fiona leads with integrity, humility, and determination. Her nominator described her as the exemplification of modern nursing leadership.

Advanced Nurse Practitioner (Sexual Health & HIV)
Lothian Sexual and Reproductive Health Services, Chalmers Centre
NHS Lothian

Mike, an Advanced Nurse Practitioner in Sexual Health and HIV and serves as GUM Nurse Lead and Health Advising Lead for Lothian Sexual and Reproductive Health. He is nominated for transforming health advising and GUM nursing through innovation, strategic service redesign, and a strong commitment to patient-centred, accessible care. He has modernised pathways for STI diagnosis, treatment, and partner notification by introducing online results management, pharmacy treatment vouchers, and digital booking systems—improvements recognised nationally. Mike also planned early for the rollout of DoxyPEP and developed efficient delivery pathways with minimal resource impact, leading to his appointment as BASHH Scotland Nurse Lead. As a leader, Mike reintroduced nationally recognised STIF training, supervising non-medical prescribers, and delivering extensive education across the wider workforce. He has strengthened sustainable service delivery while improving professional satisfaction among nursing staff. His innovations have streamlined services, freed up clinical capacity, and improved integration across health and social care partners. 

Whilst our 2026 finalists await to find out the results at our award ceremony on 30 April 2026, read about our previous winners of this category and what made them stand out as the #BestOfNursing in Scotland's clinical leadership sector.