Filipino nurse gets UK's 1st 'International Community Nurse of the Year' award

MANILA, Philippines — The Queen’s Nursing Institute (QNI) recently created a new award to recognize Internationally Educated Nurses working in community settings in England, and its first International Community Nurse of the Year award recipient is Filipino nurse Dennis Singson.

Singson is a Community Mental Health Nurse and Nurse Prescriber working with the Crisis Resolution and Home Treatment (CRHT) team in Hastings. He has coordinated the development of a mental health hub consisting of a general medicine practitioner, a clinical pharmacist and upskilled colleagues throughout the practice to improve the care of people with anxiety, depression and eating disorders. His work has seen the reduction of antidepressant prescribing and referral to secondary services. 

The award winner was chosen by a panel of internationally educated nurses working at a senior level in England, and an independent patient representative.

Supported by National Health Service (NHS) England and NHS Improvement, the award was up for nomination by employers so they can enter internationally educated nurses who have worked in any health or social care setting in the community in England for one to three years.

During the virtual awards night last December 13, Singson was awarded for his exemplary work in the community, with the following nomination citation for his award:

“Dennis' impact on patient care has been profound. The primary care team defer to him for management ideas for complex patients. Serving a deprived population with hectic lifestyles, Dennis' relaxed yet firm communication skills have provided a constant readily available source of information and care to our patients and when appropriate their careers.”

“Always calm and reassuring, he makes thorough assessments of risk and safety and provides patients with dependable safety plans. Leading by example, Dennis is reliable, straightforward and diplomatic.”

Singson’s dedication to his clinical work and improving patient care is commendable and unmatched. He was also a finalist to the 2021 RCN Clinical Excellence for Nursing, and a 2018 BAME Windrush Awardee. He is also currently the interim Vice-chair of the Philippine Nurses Association of UK. 

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