Nichole McIntosh, a British Jamaican born nurse leader residing in London has been awarded a Fellowship of the Royal Society of Arts. The Royal Society for the Encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce (RSA) is London-based, British organisation committed to finding practical solutions to social challenges. Founded in 1754 by William Shipley as the Society for the Encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce, it was granted a Royal Charter in 1847 and the right to use the term Royal in its name by King Edward VII in 1908.The shorter version, The Royal Society of Arts and the related RSA acronym, are used more frequently than the full name. Nichole joins a list of notable past fellows that include Nelson Mandela, Charles Dickens, Benjamin Franklin, Stephen Hawking, Karl Marx, Adam Smith, David Attenborough, William Hogarth, John Diefenbaker, and Tim Berners-Lee. RSA Fellows come from diverse communities bringing with them a wealth of different skills, expertise and life experience. It is precisely this diversity that enables the Fellowship to foster innovation and act as a collective force for social change. Established in an Enlightenment coffeehouse over 260 years ago, the RSA is a global community of proactive problem solvers that unites people and ideas to resolve the challenges of our time. Today our ideas, networks and research programmes enable people to realise social change all over the globe. Being a fellow of the RSA is a great honour and signifies that someone has made a significant contribution to society in their field. Fellows are allowed to use the post-nominal letters, FRSA. Nichole was nominated for her contribution to nursing as well as her achievements in championing the benefits of diversity and inspiring others to achieve their goals using a range of mediums. Here’s an extract of the glowing nomination of Nichole that was submitted to the RSA:
Nichole is a senior nurse with extensive experience in a range of acute healthcare NHS settings and in clinical quality – currently Head of Clinical Quality with Enfield Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG). Her driving force is her passion for high quality patient care and her expertise in this area is recognised within her field. This extends to her engagement with staff at all levels to ensure culturally competent care across the spectrum of healthcare provision. She is an inspiration to all those who have worked with her. As a Fellow she would benefit from being part of a wider network of people with a range of skills and expertise that would both resonate with talents and skills but would also inspire her to innovate and test out ideas. She brings with her an extensive and culturally diverse network that would add value to the work of the RSA. Nichole was awarded a Florence Nightingale Foundation Research Scholar in 2011 and 2012. She was also selected to be the Leader of the Procession and Lamp bearer at Florence Nightingale Commemorative Service at Westminster Abbey in May 2016 – a great honour within the nursing profession. She shares her experiences as a black woman and professional within a culturally diverse sector, giving honest and insightful reflections, in her successful blog: The Human Touch blog.
Nichole has stated that she is delighted and immensely proud to be Fellow. She added, “I would like to thank all who have helped me on my journey and to say that this amazing recognition is, first and foremost, about us supporting the mission and sharing the values of the RSA of creating a better future for others. It is with immense pride and humility that I accept the invitation to be a Fellow of the RSA and will continue to fly the Jamaican flag wherever I go.”
Sources: The RSA Fellowship, Wikipedia
