Laura Serrant facts for kids

Laura Maria Serrant (born in 1963) is a British nurse and a top expert in her field. She is currently a leader in nursing education for a large part of England. She is also a Professor of Nursing at Manchester Metropolitan University. Before this, she was the head of a department there.

Early Life and Nursing Career

Laura Serrant was born in Nottingham, England, in 1963. She was the first person in her family to go to university. She was also one of the first nurses to get her qualification by earning a university degree. She graduated in 1986 from Sheffield City Polytechnic.

In 2016, Laura appeared in a BBC Four TV show called Black Nurses: The Women Who Saved the NHS. In this show, she talked about the important work of Black nurses in the NHS.

In 2017, a top nursing officer named Jane Cummings chose Laura to lead a special group. This group helps advise NHS England on matters related to Black and minority ethnic staff. Laura has held many important jobs. She was a Professor at the University of Wolverhampton. She also led a team at NHS England that focused on nursing strategy.

From 2018 to 2019, she was a special director for Sheffield Health & Social Care NHS Foundation Trust. From 2016 to 2018, she was also a Professor of Nursing at Sheffield Hallam University.

In 2018, Laura became the Head of the School of Nursing at Manchester Metropolitan University. At that time, she was the only Black head of nursing in any UK university.

Beyond Nursing Work

Outside of her nursing career, Laura has appeared on BBC Radio 4. She was on a show called Great Lives. On this show, she talked about the poet and activist Audre Lorde. Laura felt that Audre Lorde had lived a truly 'Great Life'.

Laura also writes poetry. One of her poems was used in a theatre show called 'Windrush'. This show traveled around the UK in 2018.

Awards and Recognition

Laura Serrant has received many awards for her important work.

In 2014, the Health Service Journal made a list of 50 inspiring people. These were people from Black and minority ethnic backgrounds working in the NHS. Laura was included on this list for her work in community health.

In 2017, Laura was named one of the most influential Black people in the UK. She was ranked eighth on the Powerlist. In the same year, she received a special university degree. This was an honorary doctorate from Abertay University. It was given to her for her amazing achievements.

In 2018, the Queen gave Laura a special award. She was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE). This was for her great work in health policy. In 2023, she also became a Fellow of the Royal College of Nursing. This is a very high honour from the main group for nurses.

Laura has also been on the 2019, 2020, and 2021 lists. These lists celebrate the 100 most influential Britons of African or African Caribbean descent. This shows her ongoing impact in medicine.

In 2021, she received a very special award. It was the Nursing Times UK Chief Nursing Officers' Lifetime Achievement award. This award recognized her entire career and all her contributions to nursing.