Muriel Powell (nurse)
Muriel Betty Powell, DBE (30 October 1914 – 8 December 1978), was a British nurse, hospital matron, public servant, and Chief Nursing Officer (CNO) for the Scottish Home and Health Department (SHHD).[1][2]
Muriel Powell | |
|---|---|
 Plaque on the clock tower, Cinderford, Gloucestershire | |
| Born | Muriel Betty Powell 30 October 1914 Ruspidge, Gloucestershire, England |
| Died | 8 December 1978 (aged 64) Cinderford, Gloucestershire, England |
| Nationality | British |
| Occupation | Nurse, public servant |
Life and career
She was born in Ruspidge, Forest of Dean, Gloucestershire, and was educated in nearby Cinderford.[3]
In 1947, aged 32, Powell became matron at St George's Hospital, London.[1] Her age reportedly "raised eyebrows" among the medical establishment, which deemed her too young for the position, but she proved her critics wrong and would remain there for 22 years. Powell was part of the government committee that recommended removal of the title "matron" from the National Health Service in 1968. The title has since been gradually reintroduced to the NHS lexicon.[4]
She was appointed Chief Nursing Officer in Scotland in 1970. However, it soon became clear that she suffered from dementia, and retired in 1976. She returned to Gloucestershire, where she died in a psychiatric hospital in 1978, aged 64.[1]
Legacy
The St George's Nurses League presents the Dame Muriel Powell Award to those who have made important contributions in the field of nursing.[5]
References
- David Brindle, "Victim of Ignorance: How Dementia Blighted a Brilliant Nursing Reputation". London, United Kingdom: The Guardian, October 18, 2000. Retrieved 21 March 2021
- "Dame Muriel Powell (1914-1978), Chief Nursing Officer and matron of St George's Hospital". London, United Kingdom: National Portrait Gallery, retrieved online August 30, 2018.
- Dame Muriel Powell, Foresters' Forest. Retrieved 21 March 2021
- Scott EJ. "Dame Muriel Powell (1914-1978): role model of a hospital matron and leader of nursing".
- "Thank you to St George's nurses". www.stgeorges.nhs.uk (Press release). St George's University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. 26 May 2009. Retrieved 10 October 2016.
Sources
- Thurgood, G. "Muriel Powell Remembered. A Profile of her Life", Journal of Nursing Management (July 2001)
- Scott, Elizabeth J. C. "Dame Muriel Powell (1914-1978): role model of a hospital matron and leader of nursing". Journal of Medical Biography, Royal Society of Medicine publication; PMID 12522493 (as per the NCBI).