A BOLTON nurse has joined a unique group of professionals to be given a very royal title.

Ann Collins from the Greater Manchester Mental Health (GMMH) NHS Foundation Trust has become one of a handful of mental health nurses to be recognised by charity The Queen’s Nursing Institute (QNI).

The community nurse and GMMH senior manager of Older Adults Community Mental Health Services in Bolton has been named a Queen’s Nurse for her commitment to patient care, learning and leadership.

Mrs Collins collected her medal in a ceremony at the Royal Garden Hotel in London from Professor Jean White CBE, QNI fellow and chief nursing officer in Wales.

She said: "I am honoured and very privileged to have received this award and could not have achieved what I have without the support of the trust and the dedicated teams I work with; this award recognises the hard work they all do every day.

"I vow to proudly fly the flag for mental health nurses, especially those working in older adult services, and raise the profile of this under-represented speciality.

"The ceremony was a fabulous evening and I met some really inspiring nurses. I took my husband David along and he enjoyed it too."

Mrs Collins qualified as a mental health nurse in 1988 after training at the Salford School of Nursing, based at Prestwich Hospital.

She has dedicated her career to working within older adults services and has spent the last 20 years in the community.

In 2014, she became the Senior Manager of Older Adults Community Mental Health Services in Bolton and in 2016 gained an Older Persons Nurse Fellowship with Kings College London

She added: “I was integral in the development of the Dementia In-Reach Team in Bolton, a team that worked with nursing and care homes to support people with dementia.

"My passion has always been my clinical role."

The title of Queen's Nurse is open to community nurses with more than five years' experience. Managers and patients provide feedback about applicants, which is assessed along with their application.

Nurses who hold the title benefit from developmental workshops, bursaries, networking opportunities, and a shared professional identity.

Dr Crystal Oldman, chief executive of the QNI, said: "Congratulations are due to Ann for her success.

"Community nurses are expert professionals who make a vital contribution to patient health and wellbeing every day."