Queen Alexandra's Royal Naval Nursing Service (QARNNS) is the

nursing Nursing is a profession within the health care sector focused on the care of individuals, families, and communities so they may attain, maintain, or recover optimal health and quality of life. Nurses may be differentiated from other health ...

branch of the

British British may refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories, and Crown Dependencies. ** Britishness, the British identity and common culture * British English, ...

Royal Navy The Royal Navy (RN) is the United Kingdom's naval warfare force. Although warships were used by English and Scottish kings from the early medieval period, the first major maritime engagements were fought in the Hundred Years' War against ...

. The Service unit works alongside the

Royal Navy Medical Branch The Royal Navy Medical Service is the branch of the Royal Navy responsible for medical care. It works closely with Queen Alexandra's Royal Naval Nursing Service. History The history of the service can be traced back to 1692 when treatment for ...

. As of 1 January 2006, according to former Ministry of Defence junior minister

Don Touhig James Donnelly Touhig, Baron Touhig (born 5 December 1947), known as Don Touhig, is a British politician and life peer who served as Member of Parliament (MP) for Islwyn from 1995 to 2010. A member of the Labour and Co-operative parties, he ...

, the QARNNS had a total strength of 90 Nursing

Officers An officer is a person who has a position of authority in a hierarchical organization. The term derives from Old French ''oficier'' "officer, official" (early 14c., Modern French ''officier''), from Medieval Latin ''officiarius'' "an officer," f ...

and 200 Naval Nurses (ratings) out of a requirement of 330. ''The Navy List'' (2006) listed 92 QARNNS Officers, of whom two were captains (including one DNNS/Matron-in-Chief), seven commanders, 19 lieutenant-commanders, 60 lieutenants and four sub-lieutenants. ''The Navy List'' (1981) listed 146 QARNNS Officers, of whom one held the rank of Matron-in-Chief, two were Principal Matrons, four Matrons, 32 Superintending Sisters, 89 Senior Nursing Sisters and 13 Nursing Sisters; five of the 145 QARNNS Officers were non-nursing officers: two Senior Clerical and Quarters Officers and three Clerical and Quarters Officers.

History

British Medical Services in the Second World War A11529

In 1883, a committee determined that improvements were needed in

medical Medicine is the science and practice of caring for a patient, managing the diagnosis, prognosis, prevention, treatment, palliation of their injury or disease, and promoting their health. Medicine encompasses a variety of health care practic ...

and nursing care in the Royal Navy. As such, in 1884, a uniformed Naval Nursing Service was introduced, staffed by trained nurses. These nurses served on shore, initially at

Haslar Haslar is on the south coast of England, at the southern tip of Alverstoke, on the Gosport peninsula, Hampshire. It takes its name from the Old English , meaning " hazel-landing place". It may have been named after a bank of hazel strewn on ma ...

and Plymouth. In 1902,

Alexandra of Denmark Alexandra of Denmark (Alexandra Caroline Marie Charlotte Louise Julia; 1 December 1844 – 20 November 1925) was Queen of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Empress of India, from 22 January 1901 to 6 May 1910 as the wife of ...

, the queen consort of Edward VII of the United Kingdom, became President of the Nursing Staff; in her honour, the Naval Nursing service was renamed Queen Alexandra's Royal Naval Nursing Service. Queen Alexandra's Royal Naval Nursing Service Reserve was established on 13 October 1910. In 1914, with the outbreak of the

First World War World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

, QARNNS was significantly expanded, with many volunteers from the

British Red Cross The British Red Cross Society is the United Kingdom body of the worldwide neutral and impartial humanitarian network the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement. The society was formed in 1870, and is a registered charity with more ...

and civilian hospitals; similarly, during the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposi ...

, many volunteer QARNNS nurses were deployed overseas. In 1949 a nursing branch of the

Women's Royal Naval Service The Women's Royal Naval Service (WRNS; popularly and officially known as the Wrens) was the women's branch of the United Kingdom's Royal Navy. First formed in 1917 for the First World War, it was disbanded in 1919, then revived in 1939 at the ...

was formed; however, in 1960 these nurses were integrated into QARNNS, creating a single nursing service. In 1982 an integrated service was formed, allowing men to serve as nurses in QARNNS. The first man to join was Senior Nursing Officer Rajendrasen Purusrum, who was commissioned on 1 March 1983. Although fully affiliated to the Royal Navy from 1977, QARNNS was technically a separate service until 31 March 2000, when it officially became part of the Royal Navy. Queen Alexandra was President until her death in 1925. The following year she was succeeded by Queen Mary. Princess Alexandra became Patron in 1955.

Ranks

Initially there were only two ranks: Nursing Sister and Head Sister. In 1911 the intermediate rank of Superintending Sister was introduced. There was no overall head of the service until the introduction of the rank of Head Sister-in-Chief on 1 August 1927. By 1937 Head Sister and Head Sister-in-Chief had been renamed Matron and Matron-in-Chief. The ranking system changed during the Second World War. Ratings, known as Naval Nurses, were introduced in 1960, with the integration of the WRNS nurses. Their ranking system was similar to that of Royal Navy ratings. In 1982, in preparation for the introduction of male officers, the Nursing Officers' ranking system was changed. In 1995 the QARNNS adopted

ranks, although the head of the Nursing Service was no longer a one-star equivalent, the senior Captain of the QARNNS was appointed Director Naval Nursing Service (DNNS) and styled with the historic post of Matron-in-Chief.

List of Head Sisters-in-Chief/Matrons-in-Chief/Directors of Naval Nursing Services QARNNS

Head Sister-in-Chief, Naval Nursing Service

* Margaret Keenan, 1927–1929 * Mildred Hughes, 1929–1934 * Catherine Renwick, 1934–1937

Matron-in-Chief, Naval Nursing Service

* B. M. Martin, 1937–1940 * Annabella Ralph, 1940–1941 * Dame Doris Beale, 1941–1944 * Dame Matilda Goodrich, 1944–1947 * Olga Franklin, 1947–1950 * Jeannie Gillanders, 1950–1953 * Kathleen Chapman, 1953–1956 * Barbara Nockolds, 1956–1959 * Helen Moore, 1959–1962 * Joan Woodgate, 1962–1966 * Mary Fetherston-Dilke, 1966–1970 * Christina Thompson, 1970–1973 * Cynthia Cooke, 1973–1976 * Patricia Gould, 1976–1980 * Margaret Collins, 1980–1983 * Jean Robertson, 1983–1986 * Eileen Northway, 1986–1990 * Jane Titley, 1990–1994 * Captain

Claire Taylor Samantha Claire Taylor (born 25 September 1975) is a former cricketer who represented England more than 150 times between 1998 and 2011. A top order batter,In women's cricket, "batsman" is commonly used, alongside "batter". Taylor was the f ...

, 1994–1995

Director Naval Nursing Service

* Captain

, 1995–1996 * Captain Patricia Hambling, 1996–2000 * Captain Michael Bowen, 2000–2003 * Captain Lynne Gibbon, 2003–2008 * Captain Helen Allkins, 2008–2011 * Captain

Inga Kennedy Commodore Inga Jane Kennedy, (born 7 September 1962) is a Scottish nurse and senior Royal Navy officer. Seemingly from 2017–2019, she served as Head of the Royal Navy Medical Service and Medical Director General (Naval). She is currently the ...

, 2011–2015 * Captain Steven J. Spencer, 2015–2018 *Captain Alison J. Hofman RRC, August 2018–October 2019 *Captain Lisa M. Taylor, November 2019–? *Captain Neale D. Piper ARRC, June 2021–present

Notes

References

External links

*
Queen Alexandra's Royal Naval Nursing Service Ratings Association
{{Authority control Medical units and formations of the United Kingdom Military nursing Naval medicine Naval units and formations of the United Kingdom Nursing organisations in the United Kingdom 1884 establishments in the United Kingdom