Karen Bonner recognised with a Fellowship of The Queen’s Nurse Institute

Date: 11/12/2024 | Category: News 2024

Karen Bonner MBE, Chief Nurse & Director for Infection Prevention & Control at Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust, was awarded a Fellowship of The Queen’s Nursing Institute (QNI) at its annual Awards Ceremony on Friday 29 November at the Millennium Gloucester Hotel in London.

Karen has been a nurse for over 30 years and is a proud descendant of the Windrush generation.  She joined the Trust as Chief Nurse in March 2020 and helped guide the organisation through the COVID-19 pandemic.

To be recognised with a Fellowship of The Queen’s Nurse Institute is yet another accolade in Karen’s impressive list of achievements gained throughout her nursing career.

Karen Bonner MBE, Chief Nurse & Director for Infection Prevention and Control at the Trust, is a graduate of the NHS Leadership Academy’s senior leaders and Nye Bevan programmes, as well as the Leadership College for Government’s deputy CEO accelerated programme. Karen served on the NHS Workforce Race Equality Standard advisory group (2017-2021) and was highly commended by Nursing Times for her work in diversity and inclusion in 2019. Recognised by Health Service Journal in 2021-2024 as one of the most influential Black, Asian, and minority ethnic people in health, she was also celebrated by Nursing Times among 75 nurses who have shaped the NHS. Earlier this year, Karen received her MBE in recognition of her contribution to nursing, as part of the King’s Birthday Honours.

In addition, Karen is also a trustee at Helpforce, which seeks to boost volunteering in health and social care and works as a volunteer herself with Prostate Cancer UK to educate and raise awareness of the disease.

Karen, who leaves the Trust next week to take up her new role as regional chief nurse for NHS London, said:

“It was an absolute honour to be awarded a Fellowship of The Queen’s Nurse Institute and to become part of a group of colleagues recognised for their leadership and lifelong learning. This symbolises my commitment to help improve the nursing care of people in the home and community. This caps off a fantastic four years at Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust where I’ve worked with so many wonderful colleagues who I’ll be sad to leave. However, I look forward to meeting new colleagues and facing new challenges when I take up my new role on 16 December.”

Karen Bonner receives QNI Fellowship award from Professor Dame Elizabeth Nneka Anionwu

Pictured above: Karen Bonner (left) receives her fellowship award from Professor Dame Elizabeth Nneka Anionwu, Emeritus Professor of Nursing at the University of West London and Life Patron of the Mary Seacole Trust.