Karen Howell has committed herself to the NHS for an outstanding 45 years and has been awarded an OBE in the New Year’s 2023 in recognition of her devoted service to the healthcare industry.
Ms Howell was born in Wirral and began her career in the healthcare industry at Clatterbridge Hospital. Throughout the years Karen has worked at a national level as well, as an Advised independent Health and Care Provider across Great Britain and Europe.
Karen is highly established in her career and well respected in the NHS. She ensures she continues to support the NHS and its services with great resilience and devotion. After years of hard work and continuous dedication, Karen is now the Chief Executive of Wirral Community Health & Care NHS Foundation Trust.
In receiving this reputable award Karen expressed "It is such an honour to be recognised for my service to Health Care. This is recognition of a lifetime’s working.
"I joined the NHS at 15 years old as a Nurse Cadet working whilst still at school on a Saturday morning. I have been proud to dedicate my life to the NHS as a nurse and a manager and I feel very privileged to have had such a wonderful career."
The CBE, DL, Chair of Wirral Community Health & Care NHS Foundation Trust Professor Michael Brown said "Karen is a truly inspirational public sector leader. This public honour is well deserved and recognises not only her major contributions to the NHS over many years but also her ongoing work to deliver the best services possible to residents of Wirral and beyond."
Richard Barker, Regional Director for NHS England Northwest, said: "I’d like to congratulate Karen on being awarded an OBE, in honour of the many years she had dedicated to the NHS; as a nurse, a manager, and now as a Chief Executive.
"To be recognised in the King’s New Year’s Honours is a fitting tribute to Karen’s service to the NHS and her outstanding contribution to health care in the region, and she should be extremely proud of this wonderful."
