Chief Nursing Officer (United Kingdom)

The Chief Nursing Officer (CNO) is the most senior advisor on nursing matters in a government. There are CNOs in the United Kingdom who are appointed to advise their respective governments: His Majesty's Government, the Northern Ireland Executive, the Scottish Government, and the Welsh Government. Each CNO is assisted by one or more Deputy Chief Nursing Officers, and are complemented by a Chief Medical Officer.

Chief Nursing Officers for England
The Chief Nursing Officer is based at the Department of Health (and its predecessors).


 * 1941 to 1948: Dame Katherine Watt
 * 1948 to 1958: Dame Elizabeth Cockayne
 * 1958 to 1972: Dame Kathleen Raven
 * 1972 to 1982: Dame Phyllis Friend
 * 1982 to 1992: Dame Anne Poole
 * 1992 to 1999: Dame Yvonne Moores
 * 1999 to 2004: Dame Sarah Mullally
 * 2004 to 2012: Dame Christine Beasley
 * 2012 to 2019: Jane Cummings
 * 2019 to present: Dame Ruth May

Chief Nursing Officers for Scotland
The Chief Nursing Officers for Scotland is based at the Scottish Government and previously at the Scottish Office.
 * 1939 to 1944: Margaret Colville Marshall.
 * 1944 to 1961: Mary Olivia Robinson.
 * 1961 to 1969: Margaret Macnaughton.
 * 1970 to 1976: Dame Muriel Powell
 * 1977 to 1988: Margaret Gibson Auld
 * 1988 to 1992: Dame Yvonne Moores
 * 1992 to 2004: Anne Jarvie
 * 2004 to 2009: Paul Martin
 * 2010 to 2014: Rosalyn Elaine Moore
 * 2015 to 2020: Fiona McQueen
 * 2020 to 2021: Prof Amanda Croft
 * 2022 onwards Prof Alex McMahon

Chief Nursing Officers for Wales

 * 1972 to 1981: Edith Alice Bell
 * 1982 to 1988: Dame Yvonne Moores
 * 1999 to 2010: Rosemary Kennedy
 * 2010 to 2021: Jean White
 * 2021 to 2021: Gareth Howells (interim)
 * 2021 to present: Sue Tranka

Chief Nursing Officers for Northern Ireland
The Chief Nursing Officer for Northern Ireland is based at the Department of Health (Northern Ireland) (and its processors).


 * 1960 to 1975: Mona Grey
 * 1995 to 2005: Judith Hill
 * 2005 to 2011: Martin Bradley
 * 2013 to 2021: Charlotte McArdle
 * 2021 to present: Maria McIlgorm