Fife nurse wins Queen’s award for work with pioneering rural initiative

Inverkeithing Medical Group-based Irene Scott began working with the Royal Scottish Agricultural Benevolent Institution (RSABI) at the Royal Highland Show last summer and has played a key role in the delivery of the initiative as it has developed over the past year.

As well as blood pressure testing, the Health Hut at Thainstone has been offering cholesterol tests, early diabetes detection and advice on a wide range of physical and mental wellbeing areas – from alcohol consumption to nutrition and exercise.

Irene said: “To be selected for the Queen’s Nurse Award is a real honour, especially when QNIS only offer this programme to a small number of health professionals, from all areas of community nursing across Scotland, each year. My work with RSABI’s Health Hut encompasses all the values outlined in the Queen’s Nurse programme and I am looking forward to being part of the future development of the Health Hut in Scotland.”

Jimmy McLean, chair of RSABI, extended the charity’s warmest congratulations and thanks to Irene. “Irene has been an integral part of our Health Hut initiative, and it is wonderful to see her being recognised as a Queen’s Nurse. With Irene’s professionalism and love of farming, RSABI have had an excellent response to the Health Hut project and we are looking forward to taking the project forward and looking at rolling it out around the country.”