Birmingham Children’s Nurse honoured at national WellChild Awards and congratulated by Prince Harry, The Duke of Sussex
Rachel Shanahan, a nurse at our Children’s Hospital, was recently named as a winner in the prestigious national 2026 WellChild Awards.
She received her award at the Royal Lancaster Hotel in London on Monday 2 September where she met WellChild Patron, Prince Harry, The Duke of Sussex.
Rachel was chosen from hundreds of nominations from across the UK to win the Outstanding Nurse Award, to honour the extraordinary care, dedication and compassion she shows to the children and families in her care.
Prince Harry, The Duke of Sussex, attended the Awards to meet winners and their families at a pre-ceremony reception and delivered a speech during the event.
In his speech on the night, Prince Harry, The Duke of Sussex said: “The WellChild Awards are always a very special evening because they give us the opportunity to celebrate an extraordinary group of children and young people living with complex medical needs, as well as the families who support them every single day.”
Commenting on the 20th anniversary of the WellChild Nurse programme, Prince Harry said: “Since the first WellChild Nurse was appointed 20 years ago, the programme has grown to 54 nursing posts in children's hospitals and communities throughout the United Kingdom. I was fortunate enough to see some of that work for myself when I visited Birmingham Children's Hospital this summer. I had the chance to meet several WellChild Nurses, as well as some of the families whose lives they have helped to transform. What really struck me was just how much their role involves.
"It is, of course, about helping children to leave hospital and return home. But it is about much more than that. It is about giving children and young people the confidence and support to thrive at home, at school and within their communities. That support can make an enormous difference, not just to a child, but to an entire family.”
Rachel is an exceptional children's nurse whose dedication, innovation and leadership have helped transform the lives of children with complex medical needs and their families.
Since joining the WellChild Nurse programme in 2015, Rachel has been a driving force behind initiatives that enable more children and young people to leave hospital sooner, receive specialist care at home and thrive within their families and communities.
As The Lead Nurse for Discharge and Complexity at our Children's Hospital, Rachel is passionate about providing care outside of hospital walls and her can do attitude is evident from the conception of her vision over a decade ago. She has now grown a team of people, who are dedicated to working with children and families with complex health needs. The foundations of the team being the first of a its kind in the UK.
What sets Rachel apart is her unwavering commitment to improving services not only for the children and families she supports directly, but for countless others across the UK.
This award recognises her outstanding contribution to nursing, her dedication to children with complex medical needs and her enduring commitment to helping families build brighter futures at home.
Daljit Athwal, Chief Nursing and Midwifery Officer at our Trust, said: “We are incredibly proud of Rachel for receiving this prestigious WellChild Award. Her unwavering commitment, dedication and compassion have transformed the care and experiences of children with complex medical needs and their loved ones.
“This award is a well-deserved recognition of the exceptional difference Rachel makes to our young people and families every day. Congratulations, Rachel.”