Professor Dame Donna Kinnair

Donna has been a champion for women and children throughout her working life. In 2015 she was a part of the Better Births: Improving Outcomes of Maternity Services in England. She is a Trustee of the Burdett Trust, and a non-executive Director of East London Foundation Trust and The Royal Free Hospitals London, where she is also the Maternity Champion. She was the General Secretary of the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) until June 2021, delivering the RCN’s strategic and operational plans and promoting patient and nursing interests on a wide range of issues, throughout the recent Covid-19 pandemic.  Previously she was the director responsible for policy and practice, including working with international nurses and academics.

Donna held various roles, including Clinical Director of emergency medicine at Barking University Hospitals Trust; Executive Director of Nursing, Southeast London Cluster Board; Director of Commissioning, London Borough of Southwark & Southwark PCT. She was the Strategic Commissioner for Lambeth, Southwark and Lewisham Health Authority’s Children’s Services and community services.

Donna advised the PM’s Commission on the future of Nursing and Midwifery in 2010 and served as nurse/child health assessor to the Victoria Climbié Inquiry. She was made a DBE in 2008 for services to nursing.