Laura Serrant - Honorary Doctorate of the University (DUniv)
Professor Laura Serrant OBE, CBE, PhD, is a globally recognised leader in nursing whose career spans over thirty years in healthcare practice, education, research, and policy. She has held influential roles in Higher and Further Education, NHS Trusts, and national policy, including Regional Head of Nursing at Health Education England, Chief Nurse Advisor at the Department of Health and Social Care, and Associate Dean for Research and Enterprise at the University of Wolverhampton. Professor Serrant has shaped national and international strategies to advance workforce equity, health inequalities, and culturally safe leadership, while supporting NHS responses during the COVID-19 pandemic as Co-Investigator on a UKRI-funded project.
Her commitment to inclusion and representation is evident in her advocacy for Black and minority ethnic professionals and marginalised communities, as reflected in her widely recognised “Silences Framework.” Her poem, You called and we came: Remembering Nurses of the Windrush Generation, commemorates Caribbean nurses who helped rebuild Britain post-World War II and is engraved at Waterloo Station, serving as an inspiration to students and staff.
Professor Serrant’s achievements include OBE (2018), CBE (2024), Fellowship of the Royal College of Nursing (2023), multiple Powerlist recognitions (2017–2021), an honorary doctorate from Abertay University, and the Nursing Times Chief Nursing Officers’ Lifetime Achievement Award (2021). Through strategic leadership, mentorship, and advocacy, she has significantly advanced nursing education, workforce development, and health equity. Awarding her an honorary doctorate aligns with LSBU’s commitment to diversity, social justice, and excellence in healthcare, recognising a career that inspires staff and students and transforms nursing practice both nationally and globally.