RCoA past President Dr Fiona Donald recognised in King’s New Year Honours
Congratulations to Dr Fiona Donald, former RCoA President, who has been recognised in the King’s New Years Honours.
Dr Donald has been appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) for services to anaesthesia, intensive care and pain medicine.
Fiona’s leadership of the College as Vice President and then President during an exceptionally challenging period, including the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent recovery, has had a lasting impact on both patients and the specialty. Working collaboratively with national bodies, government and members, she championed measures to improve patient safety, reduce waiting times and strengthen the resilience of anaesthesia services.
Fiona’s influence extended beyond anaesthesia, advising on national programmes for maternity safety and contributing to planning for future health emergencies. As a former Vice-Chair of the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges, she was instrumental in shaping policy on workforce retention, professional standards and perioperative care, always with a focus on improving outcomes for patients.
As a consultant anaesthetist at North Bristol NHS Trust, Fiona’s leadership delivered quality and safety improvements in maternity care and anaesthetic services. She was also a founding member of the PROMPT Maternity Foundation, championing team training that has demonstrably improved safety for mothers and babies in the UK and internationally.
Dr Claire Shannon, President of the RCoA said:
“Fiona’s commitment to education, mentoring and good governance has inspired countless colleagues and strengthened the specialty for future generations.
"This honour reflects Fiona’s tireless advocacy for patient safety and her outstanding contribution to healthcare. We congratulate her on this well-deserved recognition.”
Dr Fiona Donald said:
“I am delighted to have been awarded the OBE, particularly because this honour also reflects the work of the many individuals and teams I have had the pleasure of working with over the course of my career.
"Each collaboration provided a learning opportunity which helped me work towards my ultimate aims of improving patient outcomes and educating future generations of anaesthetists.
"I would like to thank everyone who has helped and supported me over the years.”
Professor Scarlett McNally awarded an OBE
Congratulations also to Professor Scarlett McNally who was awarded an OBE for services to medicine, surgery and the NHS. Professor McNally is Deputy Director of our Centre for Perioperative Care (CPOC) and a consultant orthopaedic surgeon at East Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust.
In her role as CPOC Deputy Director, Scarlett has provided outstanding clinical leadership in the development of standard setting, training curricula, professional education, quality improvement, research and policy in perioperative care.
Renowned for her commitment to patients, Scarlett’s collaborative approach working with colleagues, national bodies and the public has been invaluable in articulating CPOC’s vision and realising its impact.
Scarlett's exceptional leadership, dedication to patient advocacy, and significant contributions to healthcare make her a deserving recipient of this award and we extend our warmest congratulations.