NHS London’s regional director and NHS South East London staff recognised in King’s Birthday Honours list
Congratulations to Caroline Clarke, the regional director of the NHS in London and several other colleagues across the NHS in London, for being honoured in this year’s King’s Birthday Honours list.
Caroline, who has been named a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE), has been leading the NHS’ work in the capital since 2023, with an ambitious agenda to improve the health and care of all Londoners.
Caroline was previously Deputy Chief Executive (2012 – 2019) and then Group Chief Executive (2019 – 2023) at the Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust, leading one of the largest teaching trusts in the country, including through the COVID-19 pandemic.
Locally, staff who work across the NHS in south east London were also honoured in the King’s Birthday Honours list. Among those to be recognised were Professor Avey Bhatia and Professor Adam Fox.
Professor Avey Bhatia received an OBE for her services to nursing and to the NHS. She returned to Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust as Chief Nurse in November 2020, having trained as a critical care nurse at St Thomas’ at the beginning of her career.
She said: “I am deeply honoured and humbled to receive this award. It is recognition that I share with colleagues who have supported my career, and also my family whose encouragement has been instrumental in enabling my role in the NHS.
“It has been an absolute privilege to have worked in the NHS as a nurse for the last 30 years, and this honour inspires me for the years ahead.”
Professor Adam Fox was given an OBE for his services to paediatric allergy. He is professor of paediatric allergy at Evelina London Children’s Hospital which is part of Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust, and he is Chair of the National Allergy Strategy Group, currently leading the development of the National Allergy Strategy.
He has held roles at Guy’s and St Thomas’ including clinical director for specialist ambulatory medicine, and commercial medical director for the Trust. In addition to his clinical work, he is also a professor of paediatric allergy at King’s College London.
Professor Fox said: “It’s a huge honour to receive this recognition. In truth, it reflects the huge progress that has been made in our speciality over the past few decades and the credit for this is owed to a great many dedicated clinicians, researchers, educators and patient advocates.
“It has been my privilege to work in many teams over the years who have contributed so much to this progress, and none more so than the amazing allergy teams at my NHS Trust and King’s College London. I also hope it can raise awareness of how much more we still have to do to help improve the lives of the many people who live with allergic disease.”
Others from across London recognised are:
- Professor Sir Simon Charles Wesseley, Professor of Psychiatry, King’s College London has received a knighthood for his services to mental health.
- Professor Liam Smeet, Director of London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine received an OBE for services to public health and education.
- Robert Alexander received an OBE for services to leadership in the NHS.
- Professor Anthony Dorling, Professor of Transplant Inflammation and Repair at Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust and Kings College London received an OBE for services to kidney patient care
- Professor Caroline Mackie Ogilvie, Consultant Clinical Scientist in Genetics, South East Genomics Laboratory Hub, Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust received an OBE for services to patients with genetic disorders
- John Robert Welch, Consultant Nurse, Critical Care and Critical Care Outreach at University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, received an OBE for services to nursing and patient safety
- Professor David John Thomas, Professor Emeritus of Clinical Neuroscience, Imperial College and Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust for services to Clinical Neuroscience