SUMESHNI Tranka from Ross-on-Wye, the chief nursing officer for Wales has become a Dame in this year’s King’s Birthday Honours.

Her full honour is Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE) and is in recognition of her outstanding public service in the field of nursing.

Sue, as she is known professionally, originally trained as a midwife, registered general nurse, mental health nurse and community nurse and has always had a strong interest in quality improvement, human factors and safety systems.

In a statement Dame Tranka said that she accepts the honour with ‘gratitude and a strong sense of responsibility’ not as a personal accolade, but as a recognition of the profession and the colleagues she has had the privilege to work alongside.

She added: “This honour is shared with the nurses, midwives, educators, students and healthcare professionals across Wales whose commitment to high standards of care makes a lasting difference to patients and their families. It has been a privilege to work with such skilled, compassionate and dedicated colleagues.

“Any contribution I have made has been shaped by their guidance, support and example. I accept this recognition in acknowledgement of their dedication, with sincere appreciation for all who devote their lives to caring for others.”

The Health Service Journal listed Ms Tranka as being one of health’s 50 most influential people from a black, Asian and minority ethnic background in both 2020 and 2024,

Dame Tranka has over three decades of varied experience in nursing and has spent most of it working in the National Health Service.

The president of the Royal College of Nursing Bejoy Sebastian, congratulated Dame Tranka adding: “Her award highlights the vital contribution nursing makes to patient care and the wider health system and demonstrates how highly valued nursing is.”