MBE for Brunelcare Director

Dedicated nurse recognised in Queen’s Birthday Honours

Brunelcare’s Director of Nursing and Care Homes, Sandra Payne, has been recognised with an MBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours list.

Awarded for services to social care and response to the Covid-19 pandemic, Sandra has dedicated much of her career to the sector.

Qualifying as a nurse in 1986 at the Bath School of Nursing, Sandra worked in acute medical wards and specialised in cardiology at the Bristol Royal Infirmary. 

She went on to work as a District Nurse in south Bristol, before joining Brunelcare in 1993 on a part time basis as her children grew up. 

Since then, Sandra has gone on to manage one of the charity’s care homes, and lead on clinical excellence, before being appointed Director of Nursing and Care Homes in 2019.

Brunelcare’s Chief Executive, Oona Goldsworthy, said: “As a nurse Sandra has dedicated her career to caring for others. For that alone she is a worthy recipient of this honour. This year, however, Sandra has played a pivotal role in our response to Covid-19. She has done so calmly, showing real leadership in the most challenging of circumstances”

Brunelcare operates five care and nursing homes, including Little Heath, an 88 bed care home and reablement centre in South Gloucestershire, which Sandra led the opening of in the midst of the pandemic.

Oona continues: “We are bursting with pride for Sandra. She is an incredible professional, combining a ‘can-do’ attitude with genuine kindness and empathy. She is extremely modest and would never expect to be recognised in this way. A true unsung hero and an inspiration to us all.”

Sandra said: “I am absolutely amazed and incredibly proud to have been awarded this honour. Nursing has always been my passion and working at Brunelcare in social care has given me so many great opportunities to make a real difference.”