Our inspirational colleagues

In life, you sometimes get to meet really great people with a real passion for, and commitment to, their profession. I want to begin by paying tribute to such a person, who was a previous chair of the Wound Care Alliance UK (WCAUK). Michelle Deeth, who some of you will know as Michelle Greenwood, passed away recently aged 55. It is a sad loss for her two children and her family and a great loss to nursing and tissue viability. Many of you will have known Michelle, perhaps from WCAUK events, where she always added humour to her presentations, and for her many publications. Michelle also worked with me in an honorary contract in clinical practice and her commitment to quality was ever present. Michelle was very kind to me and became a very good friend and I will certainly miss her.

The loss of such a great nurse made the latest news from the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) all the more relevant as I reflected on what it is that attracts people to become a nurse, develop their knowledge and skills and maintain that commitment over a 35–40 year career.