Chief Nursing Officer (United Kingdom)

Last updated July 29, 2025

The Chief Nursing Officer (CNO) is the most senior adviser on nursing matters in a government. The CNOs in the United Kingdom are appointed to advise their respective governments: His Majesty's Government, the Northern Ireland Executive, the Scottish Government and the Welsh Government. Each CNO is assisted by one or more Deputy Chief Nursing Officers, and is complemented by a Chief Medical Officer.

Chief Nursing Officers for England

The Chief Nursing Officer is based at the Department of Health (and its predecessors).

1941–1948: Dame Katherine Watt ^[1]
1948–1958: Dame Elizabeth Cockayne ^[2]
1958–1972: Dame Kathleen Raven ^[3]
1972–1982: Dame Phyllis Friend ^[4]
1982–1992: Dame Anne Poole ^[5]
1992–1999: Dame Yvonne Moores ^[6]
1999–2004: Dame Sarah Mullally ^[7]
2004–2012: Dame Christine Beasley ^[8]
2012–2019: Jane Cummings ^[9]
2019–2024: Dame Dame Ruth May ^[10]
2024–present: Duncan Burton^[11]

Chief Nursing Officers for Scotland

The Chief Nursing Officers for Scotland is based at the Scottish Government and previously at the Scottish Office.

1939–1944: Margaret Colville Marshall .^[12]^[13]^[14]^[15]
1944–1961: Mary Olivia Robinson.^[13]^[16]
1961–1969: Margaret Macnaughton.^[17]^[18]^[19]
1970–1976: Dame Muriel Powell ^[20]
1977–1988: Margaret Gibson Auld ^[21]^[22]
1988–1992: Dame Yvonne Moores ^[6]
1992–2004: Anne Jarvie
2004–2009: Paul Martin
2010–2014: Rosalyn Elaine Moore ^[23]
2015–2020: Fiona McQueen ^[24]
2020–2021: Prof Amanda Croft ^[25]
2022–2024: Prof Alex McMahon^[26]
2024–2025: Anne Armstrong (interim)
2025–present: Prof Aisha Holloway ^[27]

Chief Nursing Officers for Wales

1972–1981: Edith Alice Bell^[28]
1982–1988: Dame Yvonne Moores ^[6]
1999–2010: Rosemary Kennedy
2010–2021: Jean White^[29]
2021–2021: Gareth Howells (interim)
2021–present: Sue Tranka

Chief Nursing Officers for Northern Ireland

The Chief Nursing Officer for Northern Ireland is based at the Department of Health (and its predecessors).

1960–1975: Mona Grey ^[30]
1995–2005: Judith Hill^[31]
2005–2011: Martin Bradley^[32]
2013–2021: Charlotte McArdle ^[33]
2021–present: Maria McIlgorm^[34]

References

↑ 'WATT, Dame Katherine Christie', Who Was Who , A & C Black, an imprint of Bloomsbury Publishing plc, 1920–2016; online edn, Oxford University Press, 2014; online edn, April 2014 accessed 18 Oct 2017
↑ 'COCKAYNE, Dame Elizabeth', Who Was Who , A & C Black, an imprint of Bloomsbury Publishing plc, 1920–2016; online edn, Oxford University Press, 2014; online edn, April 2014 accessed 18 Oct 2017
↑ Sheila Quinn, 'Raven, Dame Kathleen Annie (1910–1999)', Oxford Dictionary of National Biography , Oxford University Press, 2004 accessed 18 Oct 2017
↑ 'FRIEND, Dame Phyllis (Muriel)', Who Was Who , A & C Black, an imprint of Bloomsbury Publishing plc, 1920–2016; online edn, Oxford University Press, 2016; online edn, April 2016 accessed 18 Oct 2017
↑ 'POOLE, Dame (Avril) Anne (Barker)', Who's Who 2017 , A & C Black, an imprint of Bloomsbury Publishing plc, 2017; online edn, Oxford University Press, 2016; online edn, Nov 2016 accessed 18 Oct 2017 Archived 12 March 2020 at the Wayback Machine
1 2 3 'MOORES, Dame Yvonne', Who's Who 2017 , A & C Black, an imprint of Bloomsbury Publishing plc, 2017; online edn, Oxford University Press, 2016; online edn, Nov 2016 accessed 18 Oct 2017
↑ 'CREDITON, Bishop Suffragan of', Who's Who 2017 , A & C Black, an imprint of Bloomsbury Publishing plc, 2017; online edn, Oxford University Press, 2016; online edn, Nov 2016 accessed 18 Oct 2017
↑ 'BEASLEY, Dame Christine (Joan)', Who's Who 2017 , A & C Black, an imprint of Bloomsbury Publishing plc, 2017; online edn, Oxford University Press, 2016; online edn, Nov 2016 accessed 18 Oct 2017
↑ "Posts by Professor Jane Cummings". NHS England. Retrieved 18 October 2017.
↑ "Professor Jane Cummings announces she is retiring from the post of Chief Nursing Officer for England". NHS England. Retrieved 1 July 2019.
↑ "New chief nursing officer for England announced". NHS England. Retrieved 29 July 2024.
↑ The Scotsman, 9 August 1944, p. 4. The title was then "Principal Matron and Chief Nursing Sister of the Department of Health for Scotland".
1 2 The Scotsman, 30 September 1944, p. 3. The office was then "Chief Nursing Sister".
↑ Post-basic Nursing Education: Report of a Conference Sponsored by the European Office of the World Health Organization in Collaboration with the Government of the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland and with the Assistance of the Dept. of Health for Scotland: Peebles, 12–26 June 1956 (1956), p. viii.
↑ "Marshall, Margaret Colville", JISC: Archives Hub. Retrieved 20 January 2019.
↑ Hospital Health and Management, vol. 24 (1961), p. 305.
↑ "Obituary", The Times (London, England), 3 January 1969, p.8.
↑ Nursing Mirror and Midwives Journal, vol. 128, issues 1-13, p. 6.
↑ Hospital Management, vol. 31 (1969), p. 32.
↑ 'POWELL, Dame Muriel', Who Was Who , A & C Black, an imprint of Bloomsbury Publishing plc, 1920–2016; online edn, Oxford University Press, 2014; online edn, April 2014 accessed 18 Oct 2017
↑ 'AULD, Margaret Gibson', Who Was Who , A & C Black, an imprint of Bloomsbury Publishing plc, 1920–2016; online edn, Oxford University Press, 2014; online edn, April 2014 accessed 18 Oct 2017
↑ Dopson, Laurence (7 December 2010). "Margaret Auld: Nurse who worked tirelessly–raise the status of her profession". The Independent. Archived from the original on 19 October 2017. Retrieved 18 October 2017.
↑ 'MOORE, Rosalyn Elaine, (Mrs Stephen Littler)', Who's Who 2017 , A & C Black, an imprint of Bloomsbury Publishing plc, 2017; online edn, Oxford University Press, 2016; online edn, Nov 2016 accessed 18 Oct 2017
↑ "Fiona McQueen - gov.scot". Scottish Government. Retrieved 18 October 2017.
↑ Mitchell, Gemma (23 December 2020). "Scotland announces appointment of new chief nursing officer". Nursing Times. Retrieved 24 February 2021.
↑ "Chief Nursing Officer". www.gov.scot. Retrieved 11 December 2023.
↑ "CNO appointment".
↑ 'BELL, Edith Alice', Who Was Who , A & C Black, an imprint of Bloomsbury Publishing plc, 1920–2016; online edn, Oxford University Press, 2014; online edn, April 2014 accessed 18 Oct 2017
↑ "Professor Jean White CBE". The Nursing and Midwifery Council. Retrieved 18 October 2017.
↑ Dopson, Laurence (23 October 2011). "Mona Grey: Health care advocate and Northern Ireland's first chief nursing officer". independent.co.uk . Retrieved 10 May 2021.
↑ 'HILL, Dame Judith (Eileen)', Who's Who 2017 , A & C Black, an imprint of Bloomsbury Publishing plc, 2017; online edn, Oxford University Press, 2016; online edn, Nov 2016 accessed 18 Oct 2017
↑ "Professor Martin Bradley". The Queen's Nursing Institute. Retrieved 18 October 2017.
↑ "Professor Charlotte McArdle – NIPEC". Northern Ireland Practice and Education Council for Nursing and Midwifery. Archived from the original on 19 October 2017. Retrieved 19 October 2017.
↑ "DoH Chief Nursing Officer | Department of Health". Health. 13 October 2015. Retrieved 11 December 2023.

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[1] 'WATT, Dame Katherine Christie', Who Was Who , A & C Black, an imprint of Bloomsbury Publishing plc, 1920–2016; online edn, Oxford University Press, 2014; online edn, April 2014 accessed 18 Oct 2017

[2] 'COCKAYNE, Dame Elizabeth', Who Was Who , A & C Black, an imprint of Bloomsbury Publishing plc, 1920–2016; online edn, Oxford University Press, 2014; online edn, April 2014 accessed 18 Oct 2017

[3] Sheila Quinn, 'Raven, Dame Kathleen Annie (1910–1999)', Oxford Dictionary of National Biography , Oxford University Press, 2004 accessed 18 Oct 2017

[4] 'FRIEND, Dame Phyllis (Muriel)', Who Was Who , A & C Black, an imprint of Bloomsbury Publishing plc, 1920–2016; online edn, Oxford University Press, 2016; online edn, April 2016 accessed 18 Oct 2017

[5] 'POOLE, Dame (Avril) Anne (Barker)', Who's Who 2017 , A & C Black, an imprint of Bloomsbury Publishing plc, 2017; online edn, Oxford University Press, 2016; online edn, Nov 2016 accessed 18 Oct 2017 Archived 12 March 2020 at the Wayback Machine

[WW_Moores-6] 1 2 3 'MOORES, Dame Yvonne', Who's Who 2017 , A & C Black, an imprint of Bloomsbury Publishing plc, 2017; online edn, Oxford University Press, 2016; online edn, Nov 2016 accessed 18 Oct 2017

[7] 'CREDITON, Bishop Suffragan of', Who's Who 2017 , A & C Black, an imprint of Bloomsbury Publishing plc, 2017; online edn, Oxford University Press, 2016; online edn, Nov 2016 accessed 18 Oct 2017

[8] 'BEASLEY, Dame Christine (Joan)', Who's Who 2017 , A & C Black, an imprint of Bloomsbury Publishing plc, 2017; online edn, Oxford University Press, 2016; online edn, Nov 2016 accessed 18 Oct 2017

[9] "Posts by Professor Jane Cummings". NHS England. Retrieved 18 October 2017.

[10] "Professor Jane Cummings announces she is retiring from the post of Chief Nursing Officer for England". NHS England. Retrieved 1 July 2019.

[11] "New chief nursing officer for England announced". NHS England. Retrieved 29 July 2024.

[12] The Scotsman, 9 August 1944, p. 4. The title was then "Principal Matron and Chief Nursing Sister of the Department of Health for Scotland".

[a-13] 1 2 The Scotsman, 30 September 1944, p. 3. The office was then "Chief Nursing Sister".

[14] Post-basic Nursing Education: Report of a Conference Sponsored by the European Office of the World Health Organization in Collaboration with the Government of the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland and with the Assistance of the Dept. of Health for Scotland: Peebles, 12–26 June 1956 (1956), p. viii.

[15] "Marshall, Margaret Colville", JISC: Archives Hub. Retrieved 20 January 2019.

[16] Hospital Health and Management, vol. 24 (1961), p. 305.

[17] "Obituary", The Times (London, England), 3 January 1969, p.8.

[18] Nursing Mirror and Midwives Journal, vol. 128, issues 1-13, p. 6.

[19] Hospital Management, vol. 31 (1969), p. 32.

[20] 'POWELL, Dame Muriel', Who Was Who , A & C Black, an imprint of Bloomsbury Publishing plc, 1920–2016; online edn, Oxford University Press, 2014; online edn, April 2014 accessed 18 Oct 2017

[21] 'AULD, Margaret Gibson', Who Was Who , A & C Black, an imprint of Bloomsbury Publishing plc, 1920–2016; online edn, Oxford University Press, 2014; online edn, April 2014 accessed 18 Oct 2017

[22] Dopson, Laurence (7 December 2010). "Margaret Auld: Nurse who worked tirelessly–raise the status of her profession". The Independent. Archived from the original on 19 October 2017. Retrieved 18 October 2017.

[23] 'MOORE, Rosalyn Elaine, (Mrs Stephen Littler)', Who's Who 2017 , A & C Black, an imprint of Bloomsbury Publishing plc, 2017; online edn, Oxford University Press, 2016; online edn, Nov 2016 accessed 18 Oct 2017

[24] "Fiona McQueen - gov.scot". Scottish Government. Retrieved 18 October 2017.

[25] Mitchell, Gemma (23 December 2020). "Scotland announces appointment of new chief nursing officer". Nursing Times. Retrieved 24 February 2021.

[26] "Chief Nursing Officer". www.gov.scot. Retrieved 11 December 2023.

[27] "CNO appointment".

[28] 'BELL, Edith Alice', Who Was Who , A & C Black, an imprint of Bloomsbury Publishing plc, 1920–2016; online edn, Oxford University Press, 2014; online edn, April 2014 accessed 18 Oct 2017

[29] "Professor Jean White CBE". The Nursing and Midwifery Council. Retrieved 18 October 2017.

[30] Dopson, Laurence (23 October 2011). "Mona Grey: Health care advocate and Northern Ireland's first chief nursing officer". independent.co.uk . Retrieved 10 May 2021.

[31] 'HILL, Dame Judith (Eileen)', Who's Who 2017 , A & C Black, an imprint of Bloomsbury Publishing plc, 2017; online edn, Oxford University Press, 2016; online edn, Nov 2016 accessed 18 Oct 2017

[32] "Professor Martin Bradley". The Queen's Nursing Institute. Retrieved 18 October 2017.

[33] "Professor Charlotte McArdle – NIPEC". Northern Ireland Practice and Education Council for Nursing and Midwifery. Archived from the original on 19 October 2017. Retrieved 19 October 2017.

[34] "DoH Chief Nursing Officer | Department of Health". Health. 13 October 2015. Retrieved 11 December 2023.

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