A NURSE who hails from the Wee County has been selected for a prestigious professional development programme.

Leanne Patrick, gender-based-violence nurse specialist at Whyteman’s Brae Hospital in Kirkcaldy and Queen Margaret Hospital, has been selected to the Queen's Nurse programme.

The Wee County woman will soon begin the nine-month programme, which brings together community nurses to develop their professional skills and deliver outstanding patient care in the community.

She said: “I hadn’t ever thought about applying, but I was encouraged to by colleagues and I’m glad I did.

“I am really excited about the opportunity.

“The development programme will help us grow our confidence and self belief which will, in turn, benefit the people who we look after.

“And it also gives me the chance to bring attention to the issue of gender based violence too.”

Queen’s Nurses are committed to learning, leadership and excellence in patient care.

Leanne actually gained her place last year, but needed to defer her start until 2023 and will be taking part in the programme with upper GI cancer clinical nurse specialist Kerys Russell.

Emma Legge QN RGN, head of leadership programmes at Queen’s Nursing Institute Scotland, added: “We are delighted that Leanne and Kerys will be undertaking the Queen's Nurse Development Programme in 2023.

“Both are clearly driven to create positive change and committed to tackling complex health inequalities with and for the communities they support.

“They will be joining a growing network of Queen’s Nurses in Fife who are all change makers within their communities.”