30 December 2025
We are delighted to announce that Lynsey Russell, Senior Charge Nurse in the Intensive Therapy Unit (ITU) has been awarded an MBE in His Majesty The King’s New Year Honours List for services to the NHS.
With a distinguished 28-year nursing career, Lynsey has earned widespread respect for her compassion, leadership and commitment to person centred care. She stepped into the role of Senior Charge Nurse in ITU at the Borders General Hospital five years ago and has since become a highly regarded role model within NHS Borders and across Scotland.
Lynsey has received a series of significant accolades in recent years, including being named RCN Scotland Nurse of the Year and receiving the RCN Scotland Clinical Leadership Award in 2024, the Inspiration Award at the NHS Borders Celebrating Excellence Awards also in 2024, as well as being part of the ITU team who won the Top Team Award at the same awards event.
Her colleagues describe her as committed and passionate about intensive care nursing, dedicated to creating an environment where nurses feel valued, recognised and consistently supported. Her care and compassion underpin her practice and she is known for guiding and supporting staff with warmth, clarity and genuine empathy. Her courageous and authentic leadership has made a meaningful and lasting difference to patients, families and her team.
Lynsey has also led an ambitious programme of quality improvement work within ITU, taking a ‘what matters to you’ approach with patients, relatives and colleagues. Her work to enhance intensive care nursing has already been adopted by other Scottish ITUs and was shared nationally at the British Association of Critical Care Nurses (BACCN) conference and The Scottish Intensive Care Society conference.
Rooted in her core values, to be authentic and to excel, Lynsey continues to demonstrate what nursing can achieve at its very best.
Reflecting on the honour, Lynsey said: "I am truly humbled and honoured to be recognised in His Majesty The King’s New Year Honours List. This award is a reflection of the incredible people I’ve had the privilege to work alongside throughout my career; colleagues whose passion, resilience and unwavering commitment to patient safety and excellence inspire me every single day.
“Nursing is a remarkable profession, and this recognition belongs as much to the teams, mentors and patients who have shaped my journey over the past 28 years as it does to me. I feel incredibly fortunate to do a job I love, and I hope this moment shines a light on the vital role nurses play in delivering compassionate, high-quality care."
Sarah Horan, Director of Nursing, Midwifery & Allied Health Professionals (AHPs) added: “We are immensely proud of Lynsey’s achievement and of her contribution to our organisation. This MBE is a truly well-deserved recognition of her outstanding service, leadership and dedication to person centred care.”