A NURSE who has saved thousands of lives in the north of England was awarded an honorary doctorate by the University of Bolton.

Fiona Murphy MBE helped to spark a 700 per cent increase in tissue donation in her first year as donation liaison sister in critical care at Bolton Hospital NHS Trust in 2002.

Ten years ago, she became the clinical lead in bereavement and organ donation for the trust, the only nurse nationally to be appointed to such a role.

As she became a Doctor of Health Care for her outstanding contribution to nursing in a graduation ceremony at Bolton’s Albert Halls on Wednesday July 18, she said: “To get this doctorate today and to be honoured by people I admire and respect who have guided and supported me throughout my professional career is so humbling and makes me really proud.

“I am already proud to be a nurse but today that pride has gone to a whole new level.”

She won the 2011 Nursing Standards Nurse of the Year Award and received an MBE in 2016 for services to nursing.

The Deputy Chief Executive of Bolton NHS Foundation Trust, Trish Armstrong-Child, was awarded an honorary doctorate for her outstanding contribution to health care.

Trish, who has been in the position since 2013, said she was “overwhelmed” by the honour.

She added: “It was overwhelming to receive the letter in the post and a very humbling experience to be receiving something in recognition of a job I love to do.

“The university is fantastic it has been an absolute pleasure to work with the team over the last few years to get the pre-registration nursing degree up and running, to see it grow and now those nurses are in Bolton hospital with me.”

Trish has quadrupled the places open to Bolton nursing students and has helped to improve the organisation to a ‘good’ rating in the 2016 Care Quality Commission assessment.

Former Bolton School pupil Norman Davies was awarded a Doctor of the Arts degree for his outstanding contribution to history.

Norman lived in Chorley Old Road, Bolton, until he was 17 and settled in Poland in 1962 after being refused entry to the USSR and he became an English lecturer at the Polish Academy of Sciences in Krakow, where he gained his doctorate.

All his early books on Eastern European imperialism were banned by the Communist censors of the Soviet block.

His 1996 bestseller, Europe, A History, has been translated into more than 20 languages.

He said: “It’s coming back home for me. Bolton has never left me. It is a big occasion and the university has mushroomed and is obviously doing a great job in the town, lifting the spirits of the town, especially the younger generation. I am very happy.”

Chief Nursing Officer for the Northern Care Alliance NHS Group, Elaine Inglesby-Burke CBE, received an honorary doctorate in health care for her outstanding contribution to nursing.

Elaine’s career in nursing spans 40 years and in her current role she leads 7,000 nurses.

As she received her award she said: “I have been a nurse since 1977, but first and foremost I am a wife and a mother and a sister and a daughter and a friend, so to receive this honour for doing a job that I love is just amazing.”

Under her lead, Salford Royal Hospital was the first combined hospital and community trust to achieve an ‘outstanding’ rating in the 2015 Care Quality Commission assessment.

Innovative surgeon and researcher Professor John Lumley became a Doctor of Science for his outstanding contribution to medical science.

Prof Lumley is working closely with the University of Bolton to explore the opportunity of launching an independent undergraduate medical school.

During his career, he has served at St Bartholomew’s Hospital, the Hospital for Sick Children, Great Ormond Street and the National Hospital for Nervous Diseases.

As he received the honour, he said: “I am absolutely delighted and honoured – it is a great university and I am enjoying working on this project with the team here.”