This Monday (12th of June 2023), retired Queen’s Nurses from around the country travelled to Crieff Hydro Hotel for their Annual Gathering. Buses from Aberdeen, Inverness, Glasgow and Edinburgh arrived in the late morning with the sun shining high above the picturesque grounds of the Perthshire estate. Greeted with a warm welcome from the familiar faces of the QNIS team, the guests soon settled in with tea and coffee, scones and some welcome catch-up conversation.
After all the guests had arrived it was time for lunch. Once the group had moved into the dining hall and found their seats the gathering was officially welcomed by Head of Leadership Programmes, Emma Legge. Emma was followed by Staying in Touch Coordinator, Carol Crowther, who then led the room in grace before the meal was served.
Chat and laughter could be heard throughout the hall as friends caught up with each other and happy faces exchanged stories. After lunch, Chief Executive and Nurse Director, Clare Cable stood up to give her state of the nation address. While expressing joy at seeing friends and pioneers of the profession gathered together there was an acknowledgment of the significant challenges currently faced by nursing and healthcare services. The need for community nurses and midwives is more important than ever and that means their need for effective support has also increased. There were nods of agreement around the hall. Clare finished by encouraging attendees to advocate for the profession as much as possible.
Following the formalities, the retired Queen’s Nurses finished off the day with a little more time to relax together before those who were not staying for the holiday got ready to head back home. We’re grateful to all the staff at Crieff Hydro Hotel for hosting us for another year. The venue has always proved a stunning location, each year allowing the coming together of friends. Finally, we want to say thank you to all the contemporary Queen’s Nurses, QNIS Fellows and other guests who came together to celebrate the continued importance of community nursing.
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