The regional director of the NHS in London, Caroline Clarke, has been named a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE) in this year’s King’s Birthday Honours list.
Caroline has been in her current role since May 2023, leading the NHS’ work in the capital with an ambitious agenda to improve the health and care of all Londoners.
Caroline was previously Deputy Chief Executive (2012 – 2019) and then Group Chief Executive (2019 – 2023) at the Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust, leading one of the largest teaching trusts in the country, including through the COVID-19 pandemic.
Speaking about being honoured, Caroline recognised all the people she has worked with across the NHS and its partners in London.
She said: “I am thrilled and humbled to receive this incredible honour, which I am accepting on behalf of all the inspirational colleagues I have had the privilege to work with over the years.
“The NHS in London is full of the most talented, passionate and committed people, who go above and beyond every single day to improve the lives of Londoners, and I hope that they are also able to see their efforts recognised by this award.
A champion of LGBTQ+ rights, she has demonstrated a commitment to inclusivity throughout her career.
She added: “As an openly lesbian leader, I also accept this award on behalf of all those who have campaigned for LGBTQ+ rights over the years. While there is still much more we need to do to ensure a truly inclusive society for all, it does also demonstrate the incredible progress that we have made.”
Caroline started her NHS career as a finance trainee in 1991 and prior to her role at Royal Free held a range of senior positions including Finance Director at multiple NHS Trusts and as Associate Partner in KPMG’s health strategy team.
She is a past president of the Healthcare Financial Management Association (HFMA), the representative body for finance staff in healthcare and has been involved with a number of charities over the years including, most recently, as a Trustee of both Overcoming MS and the Royal Free Charity.
Whilst at the Royal Free, Caroline helped lead fundraising activity to support the development of both a Maggie’s Centre to support people with cancer and, with the Royal Free Charity, the UCL Institute of Immunity & Transplantation which delivers pioneering research into the underlying causes of disease.
Staff from across London’s NHS also received honours in the King’s Birthday Honours list. Among those to be recognised were Professor Avey Bhatia and Professor Adam Fox.
Professor Avey Bhatia received an OBE for her services to nursing and to the NHS. She returned to Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust as Chief Nurse in November 2020, having trained as a critical care nurse at St Thomas’ at the beginning of her career.
She said: “I am deeply honoured and humbled to receive this award. It is recognition that I share with colleagues who have supported my career, and also my family whose encouragement has been instrumental in enabling my role in the NHS.
“It has been an absolute privilege to have worked in the NHS as a nurse for the last 30 years, and this honour inspires me for the years ahead.”
Professor Adam Fox was given an OBE for his services to paediatric allergy. He is professor of paediatric allergy at Evelina London Children’s Hospital which is part of Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust, and he is Chair of the National Allergy Strategy Group, currently leading the development of the National Allergy Strategy.
He has held roles at Guy’s and St Thomas’ including clinical director for specialist ambulatory medicine, and commercial medical director for the Trust. In addition to his clinical work, he is also a professor of paediatric allergy at King’s College London.
Professor Fox said: “It’s a huge honour to receive this recognition. In truth, it reflects the huge progress that has been made in our speciality over the past few decades and the credit for this is owed to a great many dedicated clinicians, researchers, educators and patient advocates.
“It has been my privilege to work in many teams over the years who have contributed so much to this progress, and none more so than the amazing allergy teams at my NHS Trust and King’s College London. I also hope it can raise awareness of how much more we still have to do to help improve the lives of the
many people who live with allergic disease.”
Professor Noor Ul Owase Jeelani, Professor of Paediatric Neurosurgery, Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children NHS Foundation Trust received an MBE for services to Neurosurgery and Global Child Health.
He is a leading specialist in paediatric neurosurgery, craniofacial reconstructive surgery and craniopagus separation surgery, part of the team at GOSH which is one of the largest paediatric neurosurgery services in the world.
He is recognised internationally as an expert in the separation of craniopagus twins (twins joined at the skull), undertaking procedures both as an NHS surgeon at GOSH and globally as part of his work with the charity he established, Gemini Untwined.
Professor Jeelani said: “It is an honour to receive this MBE, and I would like to express my sincere gratitude to the teams at Great Ormond Street Hospital, University College London and Gemini Untwined. This recognition is not just a reflection of my work, but of the dedication and passion of every colleague and team member who has been part of this journey, and I share this achievement with them. We remain committed to working towards a better future for children both in the UK, and globally. All children are equally precious, and it is our collective responsibility to look after them.”
Professor Pankaj Sharma, a consultant neurologist at Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust has been awarded an OBE for his services to research in strokes in South Asian People. He has been a consultant neurologist at the Trust for 10 years and is also Professor of Neurology at the Royal Holloway College, University of London, where he is a director of the Institute of Cardiovascular Research.
This award reflects the culmination of two decades of work researching into stroke in British South Asians, an often, understudied population but with a high cardiovascular morbidity and mortality.
Professor Sharma, said: “It is a privilege to be recognised for the quiet but dedicated work that my group and I have been undertaking for so many years in understanding and trying to improve the health of British South Asians.”
Reflecting on the awards, Caroline Clarke said: “I would like to congratulate all those NHS colleagues in London who have also received honours this year – it is fantastic to see their dedication and skill recognised in this way.”
Others recognised are:
Professor Sir Simon Charles Wesseley, Professor of Psychiatry, King’s College London has received a knighthood for his services to mental health.
Professor Liam Smeet, Director of London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine received an OBE for services to public health and education.
Robert Alexander received an OBE for services to leadership in the NHS.
Professor Anthony Dorling, Professor of Transplant Inflammation and Repair at Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust and Kings College London received an OBE for services to kidney patient care
Professor Caroline Mackie Ogilvie, Consultant Clinical Scientist in Genetics, South East Genomics Laboratory Hub, Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust received an OBE for services to patients with genetic disorders
John Robert Welch, Consultant Nurse, Critical Care and Critical Care Outreach at University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, received an MBE for services to nursing and patient safety
Professor David John Thomas, Professor Emeritus of Clinical Neuroscience, Imperial College and Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust for services to Clinical Neuroscience
