OBE for Ann Gow
Ann Gow, Director of Nursing at Healthcare Improvement Scotland receives OBE in King’s New Years Honours List
Ann Gow, Director of Nursing at Healthcare Improvement Scotland, has received an OBE for services to nursing in the King’s New Year’s Honours list.
Ann has had a distinguished career within NHS Scotland, joining Healthcare Improvement Scotland in May 2017 as our first Nursing, Midwifery and Allied Health Professions Director, and now fulfilling the role of Director of Nursing and Deputy Chief Executive.
Prior to this position, Ann held numerous senior nurse leadership posts, including Interim Executive Nurse Director, Associate Nurse Director for Primary Care, and Integrated Joint Board lead Nurse in NHS Ayrshire and Arran, before moving to NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde as Chief Nurse for Regional Services.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Ann took on the role of Nurse Director for NHS Louisa Jordan, helping set up a fully-functioning hospital in just three weeks.
Ann Gow, Deputy Chief Executive and Director of Nursing
Ann said:
“This is an incredible honour to receive and I’m both shocked and delighted.
“Nursing has changed so much since my early days of being a nurse, and it’s been exciting and challenging to be part of the NHS in Scotland’s journey towards an increased emphasis on safety and improvement.
“I have always had a passion for child health, improving health inequalities and improving care for vulnerable people, and I hope I’ve helped to make a difference in these areas through my various roles.
“I would like to thank all the nurses, midwives, allied health professionals, and healthcare professionals, throughout my career, who have provided extraordinary support and been great role models to me over the years.”
“Nursing has changed so much since my early days of being a nurse, and it’s been exciting and challenging to be part of the NHS in Scotland’s journey towards an increased emphasis on safety and improvement.”
Deputy Chief Executive and Director of
Born in Paisley, Ann secured the post as Scotland’s first Nurse Consultant in Public Health in NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde in 2000. She was alternate member for public health for Scotland at the inception of the Nursing & Midwifery Council.
Central to all these roles has been a drive to improve the quality of care for those receiving services and a desire to improve experiences for staff.
In her role at Healthcare Improvement Scotland, Ann led the implementation of newly introduced safe staffing legislation across Scotland, working closely with government, healthcare professionals and NHS boards.
Robbie Pearson, Chief Executive of Healthcare Improvement Scotland, said:
“I am delighted about this recognition for Ann. Ann is a worthy recipient of this OBE from the King.
“Throughout her career, Ann has shown warmth and compassion, and made the care of patients always central to everything she does.
“On a personal level, Ann has been a wonderful Deputy Chief Executive and an endless source of support, wisdom, knowledge, experience and good judgement. On behalf of everyone at Healthcare Improvement Scotland, we would like to wish her our warmest congratulations on this achievement.”
Ann spent two years as chair of the Scottish Executive’s nurse directors and she is an adviser to the RCN Foundation’s grants committee. She judges the UK’s Nurse of the Year award and is a fellow of the Queen’s Nursing Institute Scotland.