The winners of Royal College of Nursing Scotland awards 2025

The very best in Scottish nursing was recognised at the Royal College of Nursing Scotland awards last week.

They revealed the dedication of outstanding nurses who devote their working lives to a vast range of patients – from our most vulnerable and sick to those at risk of dying on our Scottish mountains.

The Sunday Post-sponsored People’s Choice winner, Rhona Morrison, was chosen for her service as a critical care nurse and as a volunteer with the Tweed Valley Mountain Rescue team.

RCN Scotland executive director Colin Poolman said: “Our glittering awards ceremony shines a spotlight on the high-quality person-centred care that nurses across our hospitals, care homes and communities provide daily.

“Our finalists demonstrate what nursing can achieve for the people of Scotland, when they get the time, resources and support to turn their ideas into nursing practice.

“The stories behind our nominees is evidence that investment in nursing delivers improved health outcomes for Scots.”

Health Secretary Neil Gray said: “I want to offer my heartfelt congratulations to all the nominees and winners who I had the pleasure of meeting at the RCN Scotland, Nurse of the Year Awards 2025.

“The awards showcase their excellence, innovation, and dedication to providing the very best care to the people of Scotland.

“Whether that is in acute care, community settings, education, research or leadership, nurses are at the heart of our NHS and are rightfully deserving of all the praise bestowed upon them.”

Here are some of the winners…

Rhona Morrison

Twin roles of people’s winner recognised

Rhona Morrison won the People’s Choice award, sponsored by The Sunday Post, for her remarkable service in both the NHS and mountain rescue.

As a critical care nurse with a 38-year career, she leads efforts in safe and appropriate NHS use of medications and improvements in detecting patients at early stages of deterioration.

The Borders General Hospital nurse has also volunteered for 15 years with the busy Tweed Valley Mountain Rescue Team, responding to emergencies in extremely challenging conditions.

As a key medical officer, she supports both patient care and the wellbeing of her fellow rescuers.

This includes introducing support for fellow volunteers and nursing colleagues affected by responding to traumatic accidents including fatalities.

Devotion to duty saw her once continue a rescue mission despite a fractured ankle.

Her nursing skills have also extended to helping out at a family farm delivering lambs.

The Assertive Outreach Team

Team lauded for supporting their patients during crises

Renfrewshire Assertive Outreach Team won the RCN Scotland Learning Disability Nursing award.

Navigating the world when you have a learning disability can be extremely stressful, especially if you become ill.

Nursing our most vulnerable patients takes devotion to duty when they need the utmost care and understanding when going into hospital.

Renfrewshire’s Assertive Outreach Team – part of Renfrewshire’s Learning Disability Team – were lauded for their unstinting support of patients during crises, delayed discharges from hospital and out-of-area placements.

The team won the Learning Disability award for providing personalised support to allow patients to sustain placements back in their communities – where they can feel settled and at home.

Other patients are smoothly settled back in with families.

The team achieved this despite initial nursing staffing challenges.

The wider benefits of their work have included alleviating demands on other nursing teams, with noted successes in settling in patients who receive ongoing long-term support.

Kirsty Cartin, care home manager

Dedicated leader who shows care and compassion for all

Providing a loving and understanding place for our elderly to spend their later years is a tough call when more than half of our care homes are currently short of staff.

Creating a caring atmosphere for residents and staff takes strong and dedicated leadership.

Compassionate and dedicated care home nurse Kirsty Cartin, whose dedication to going above and beyond the call of duty to all was the winner of the Clinical Leadership award.

The manager of Rashielee Care Home in Erskine was praised for her commitment to justice, advocacy and advocacy by her unstinting support and nurture of all.

Her key achievements were noted as encouraging staff to pass on the torch of care through peer learning, training and professional growth.

Mindful of the crisis of staff shortages in care sector nurses and other workers, she has expanded student placements and promoted the skills desperately needed for a rewarding and fulfilling career.

Triple Jeopardy Team from the State Hospital

A focus on communication, dignity and care

The team’s drive won them the Learning in Practice award.

Patients who spend years in Scotland’s state hospital in Carstairs are as susceptible as anyone to all the health problems that affect the rest of society, including dementia.

Like every patient in Scotland they deserve the best of care and understanding.

The hospital’s Triple Jeopardy Team have created a learning programme which accommodates both patients and the Scottish Government 2021 review of forensic mental health services. And now the team’s drive for greater care of patients has won them Learning in Practice award.

In collaboration with Alzheimer’s Scotland Centre for Policy and Practice, the state hospital team created a bespoke programme tailored to the needs of forensic nursing staff, with new learning focused on communication, patient dignity and care.

Staff knowledge and understanding of dementia blossomed and the success of the Jeopardy Team is being considered for a Scotland-wide rollout through the Forensic Network.

NHS Tayside School Nursing Service

Going beyond norm for vulnerable kids

A dedicated and compassionate team of nurses who provide a lifeline of quality care for school-aged children and young people across Tayside were recognised in winning the Children and Midwifery award.

The NHS Tayside School Nursing Service goes beyond traditional school nursing to ensure that vulnerable children receive the best nursing, protection and support.

Their young patients include children for whom life has been so tough that they have ended up in the care system, often become homeless, caught up in substance use or become victims of domestic abuse.

Using trauma-informed care to deal with issues caused by distressing childhood events, the Tayside nurses not only support the youngsters’ mental health but strive to address and aid recovery from adverse childhoods.

Their work also promotes and helps secure happy, normal childhoods by caring for the young people and their families, helping with everything right down to GP and dental appointments.