A SENIOR community nurse who oversees the Okehampton and Moretonhampstead area has been awarded the title of Queen's Nurse.

Jane Watson was given the new title by The Queen's Nursing Institute (QNI) at its autumn awards ceremony at the Royal Garden Hotel in Kensington, London.

The title reflects a commitment to high standards of patient care, learning and leadership in community nursing.

Jane is a senior nurse for community nursing for the Northern Devon Healthcare NHS Trust. She is the professional lead for the community nurses who care for patients in their own homes and other community settings across Okehampton and Moretonhampstead.

Jane, who started her career as a staff nurse at Okehampton Community Hospital, said: 'I am extremely proud to be awarded the title of Queen's Nurse. Our community nursing teams in Okehampton and Moretonhampstead do a fantastic job delivering high-quality nursing care for people in their own homes and it is a pleasure to lead and develop them.'

Queen's Nurses benefit from development workshops, bursaries, networking and other opportunities. The title is given following an application process which includes feedback about the individual from managers and patients.

Sarah Garnsworthy, the Trust's senior nurse for community nursing in Northern Devon, joined Jane in earning the title in London.

Dr Crystal Oldman, QNI chief executive, said: 'Congratulations to our new Queen's Nurses in Devon on their success.

'The Queen's Nurse network is probably the most exciting professional development opportunity for nurses working in primary care, and we look forward to working with Jane and Sarah as they bring excellent care to their patients in the community.'

The awards ceremony was attended by over 200 people, including 80 new Queen's Nurses and senior figures in the nursing and healthcare sectors.

Jane and Sarah were presented with their award by Professor Viv Bennett, director of nursing for the Department of Health and Public Health England.

The duo also attended the QNI's annual conference at the Royal Garden Hotel, along with Trust colleagues Tina Naldrett, Isabel Tomlin and Amy Lake.

The conference was attended by over 300 nurses, allied health professionals and other stakeholders.