A nurse working at University Hospitals Dorset (UHD) attended a special reception hosted by The King to celebrate the role of international nurses and midwifes in the UK.

Deepa Pappu, equality, diversity, and inclusion lead at UHD, received the invitation to Buckingham Palace after NHS England recognised her contributions to nursing in her role as professional nurse advocate.

Deepa said: “I am deeply moved by His Majesty’s thoughtful gesture of spending time with international nurses and midwives on his birthday. It was one of the most memorable days of my career. My family back home and friends around the world were super excited. The kind and happy messages from my colleagues made me feel truly loved. To be invited to the palace and shake hands with The King was beyond my dreams. It was pure joy.”

Deepa joined the NHS as an internationally educated nurse from Kerala, South India, in 2004. Throughout her career she has worked hard to welcome other internationally educated nurses as they arrive in Dorset. During the Covid-19 pandemic, Deepa supported new arrivals who were isolated from their home support systems.

In her new role as equality, diversity and inclusion lead, Deepa continues to ensure colleagues across the trust feel at home at UHD.