Buckinghamshire nurse shortlisted for national award after launching international charity

May Parsons, deputy director of quality and patient safety at the Buckinghamshire NHS Trust, has been shortlisted as Nurse Leader of the Year in the 2025 Nursing Times Awards.

She reached the finals of the prestigious competition after opening the May Parsons Foundation which is dedicated to supporting Filipinos, particularly those from disadvantaged backgrounds, to achieve their nursing qualifications and prepare for international pathways in the UK or other English-speaking countries.

May is a Filipino-British nurse who has worked within the NHS since 2003. The trust has revealed that she was also the first person to deliver a Covid vaccination outside of a clinical trial. Her passion for nursing and advocacy for equality is apparent in her work as a regional director for the Filipino Nurses Association UK, the trust adds.

The Nursing Times Awards shines a light on the nursing industry. Judges are looking for nurses who have shown innovative, patient-focused and inclusive qualities.

Trust deputy chief nurse Mitchell Fernandez said: “We are so proud of everything May has achieved. Her inspirational leadership, passion and commitment makes such a difference to nursing here in Buckinghamshire and across the NHS, championing diversity in our workforce and ensuring we uphold the highest standards for our patients.”

May will find out if she is the ultimate winner at a ceremony held at the JW Marriott Grosvenor House Hotel on Park Lane in London on Wednesday 22 October, the trust says it will be a glittering ceremony.