Carolyn Musgrave, Drug and Alcohol Team Lead has been given the prestigious title of Queen’s Nurse (QN) for her work supporting local communities recover from addiction.

Working for Recovery Near You, the Trust’s partner service that specialises in substance misuse, Carolyn has dedicated 35 years of her life to supporting thousands of people across the West Midlands with addiction.

The QN title is not an award for past service but indicates a commitment to high standards of patient care, learning and leadership.

Carolyn in nursing uniform in 1985 smiling

After qualifying as a general adult and registered mental health nurse in 1982, Carolyn has built up an impressive list of qualifications in counselling, clinical supervision and more recently, management, health assessment and prescribing.

Since 2012, Carolyn has managed the Alcohol and Drug service at New Cross Hospital, a service set up alongside the Recovery Near You addiction service. The partnership between BSMHFT, The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust, Nacro, Aquarius and NCVO offers free, confidential help to anyone affected by drinking and/or drug use.

Carolyn has continuously gone over and above to develop special projects to support vulnerable members of the community who are struggling with addition, some of which include:

  • A maternity project for all women experiencing addiction issues who are pregnant
  • Addressing the barriers women face when accessing help with addiction, providing a safe, non-judgemental space for women who may also be experiencing domestic/sexual abuse or other traumas
  • Specific support services for people struggling with addiction in the workplace
  • Developing trauma-informed addiction training.

Carolyn said:

Addiction can be a key factor for people struggling with their mental health, either as an antecedent to their symptoms or as a way of coping with them. I am hopeful that the award of Queen’s Nurse will enable me to raise the profile of addiction nationwide.”

Carolyn was formally given her QN title in an official ceremony held at the Millennium Gloucester Hotel, London. She joins 3,500 of her nursing peers across the country to hold this prestigious title.