A retired nurse from Tenby has been recognised in the Queen’s Birthday Honours.

Caroline Oakley has worked in nursing for nearly 37 years and will receive an MBE for services to the nursing profession and NHS Wales from Her Majesty The Queen.

Mrs. Oakley (nee Luke) began her nursing training in 1980 in London, before returning home to Pembrokeshire as a senior nurse with the then health trust in 1995.

By the time she retired last summer, Mrs. Oakley was the director of nursing (quality and patient experience) at Hywel Dda University Health Board.

Delighted to receive such a ‘phenomenal honour,’ Mrs. Oakley said the MBE was about nursing not herself.

“I love nursing leadership, the honour is not about me, it’s about nursing, it’s one for west Wales nurses, they work incredibly hard and it’s the most marvellous profession,” she said.

She found out about the honour six weeks ago and was sworn to secrecy, not even telling her parents, Harvey and Joan Luke, or sister, Amanda Edwards, who also live in Tenby.

“I thought it was a wind-up at first. You had to keep it completely under wraps, you can’t tell anyone. Obviously my husband knew because he was there when I opened the envelope, but when confidentiality is such a big part of your profession, when you’re asked to keep it quiet, you do,” added Mrs. Oakley.

“I think my parents will be absolutely over the moon and they will be very proud,” she added.

Mrs. Oakley, a mother of two, will receive her MBE at an investiture yet to be arranged and will be joined in retirement by her husband in a few weeks.

“Retirement is lovely, I used to work on average 12 hour days, so to it’s fantastic to have time with my parents and children,” she added.

Bernardine Rees OBE, chairman of Hywel Dda University Health Board, said she was ‘delighted to congratulate’ Mrs. Oakley.

“During Caroline’s time with us, she was a fantastic role model for our nursing and midwifery staff and brought a wealth of experience to Hywel Dda.

“An inspiring leader, Caroline would be the first to acknowledge that many of her achievements are down to a highly motivated and capable nursing and midwifery workforce, which she remains incredibly proud of.”