Wednesday, March 3, 2010

Professor Carol Martin Baxter’s ('70) induction into Britain’s Nursing Time Hall of Fame is yet another chapter in an arresting narrative of success and accomplishment for one remarkable Excelsior family.

The former nurse and midwife (and sister of Professor Patricia Martin Deleon & Professor Yvonne Martin Newcombe) is now head of equality, diversity and human rights at NHS Employers in the United Kingdom.  She was recognized for her outstanding work in the category “Diversity in Nursing” when she was recently inducted to the 2010 Nursing Times Hall of Fame. 

Speaking at the ceremony, she said, “I am overjoyed with this induction, which recognises the importance of equality, diversity and human rights that are the cornerstone of any fair and effective workplace. I owe a great deal to other people who have helped me throughout my career.

“Our work can improve the quality of life for the 1.4 million staff in the NHS and also improve the care of their patients because equality helps ensure the best people get the right jobs.”

                                                                    Professor Carol Baxter  accepts her Feb18, 2010 Hall of Fame citation and is

               joined at right by husband, Dr. David Baxter and son Martin Baxter in  the

                courtyard of Buckingham Palace as she shows off her Nov. 2009 Commander

                of the British Empire (CBE) Award from the Queen

Professor Carol Baxter, CBE was appointed in 2004 as head of equality and diversity at NHS Employers, which is the national body representing the NHS workforce and part of the NHS Confederation.

She was previously on secondment to the equality and diversity team at the department of Health from Middlesex University, where she was Professor of Nursing and Head of the Centre for Nursing and Midwifery Research and Development. She first came to the UK from Jamaica in 1970 to train as a nurse, midwife, health visitor and finally as a health promotion specialist. Since then she has held a number of senior positions in the NHS and higher education sectors. 

“I worked in nursing in Jamaica before training anew for nursing in the UK in the 1970s, giving me first-hand experience of the diversity of people in healthcare. My time in the voluntary sector was where I made major early steps in learning about advocacy, so I would like to thank colleagues from both past and present for their support and inspiration.

Last year Nursing Times celebrated the 60th anniversary of the NHS by asking its readers to nominate the Nursing Times Diamond 20 - nurses with the greatest influence on the profession over the previous 60 years.

 This year, nominations were made for outstanding nurses who have provided leadership to the profession over the past 5-10 years in a variety of areas.  A distinguished panel of judges decided on the finalists to be inducted in to the Nursing Times Hall of Fame and join the Nursing Times Diamond 20. 

Apart from Professors Carol (Martin) Baxter, Patricia Martin-Deleon and Yvonne Martin Newcombe, three other Martin sisters-Maureen (Martin) Hemmings ('67); Fay (Martin) Wellington('72) and Mary (Martin) Irwin ('73)-are also Excelsior graduates.