UK Health Secretary Wes Streeting praised Dr Oldman’s many contributions to nursing and addressing the QNI’s search for a new chief executive by stating that there will be ‘enormous shoes for someone to fill here, Crystal Oldman has been an outstanding champion for nurses and for patients.’
Duncan Burton, Chief Nursing Officer for England said she had been the ‘voice of community nurses and championed the vital work of our colleagues’, while Sue Tranka, Chief Nursing Officer for Wales said her ‘unwavering advocacy for the profession and its vital role has been truly inspiring,’ Dr Oldman’s passion for the community sector was also noted by Ann Taylor, director of nursing at the charity Parish Nursing UK, who said she had led ‘community nursing out of the shadows’.
Dr Oldman took the helm of the QNI in 2012 after 18 years as a community nurse, and was honoured with a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in 2017 for her contributions to the QNI and community nursing.
Announcing her retirement, Dr Oldman described leading the QNI as ‘both an honour and a privilege’, and said she was looking forward ‘to seeing the Institute grow and develop under new leadership’ after her retirement. ‘The Chief Executive of the QNI is a champion and leader of community nursing,’ she said. ‘Leading the organisation at a time of rapid change in health and social care will be an exciting challenge.’