A community nurse leader at Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust has been recognised with the prestigious title of Queen’s Nurse, celebrating their contribution to patient care, leadership and professional excellence.
Becky Toms, Hampshire Hospitals’ Community Nursing Team Lead, received the nationally recognised award from the Queen’s Nursing Institute, which honours nurses who demonstrate high levels of commitment to providing outstanding care to patients, as well as continuous learning and development. 
With over 13 years of experience in nursing, Becky currently leads the community nurse team in supporting patients in the communities served by Hampshire Hospitals, as well as her colleagues at the Trust.
Speaking about becoming a Queen’s Nurse, Becky Toms said: “I am incredibly proud to receive the Queen’s Nurse Award. This recognition reflects my dedication to patient care, professional development, and leadership within the community. I have a great opportunity to network with other Queen’s Nurses to develop our community services and improve outcomes for the children and young people that the team and I work with.
“Leading such a committed and compassionate team is a real privilege and being a Queen’s Nurse, I hope to inspire future generations of Community Nurse’s and demonstrate both the personal and professional growth that is possible when becoming part of the Queen’s Institute of Community Nursing.”
Julie Dawes, Chief Nurse at Hampshire Hospitals, said: “It is wonderful to see Becky’s excellent contributions recognised in this way. She consistently demonstrates outstanding leadership and is an inspiration to her team and the patients we support each and every day – we are incredibly proud of her and the work her and our brilliant community nursing team provide to our patients.”
Only individual nurses who have been working within the community for at least five years are eligible to be granted the title, with a rigorous online application process in place to identify those who have shown a high level of commitment to excellence in healthcare. It was awarded to just 587 nurses across the UK in 2025.
The Queen’s Nursing Institute is the country’s oldest professional nursing organisation and one of the oldest nursing charities worldwide.
