A NURSE was invited to Buckingham Palace by The King to celebrate the role of international nurses and midwives in the UK.

Deepa Pappu works at University Hospitals Dorset as equality, diversity, and inclusion lead.

She was invited to the palace after NHS England recognised her contributions to nursing, in her role as a professional nurse advocate.

“I am deeply moved by His Majesty’s thoughtful gesture of spending time with international nurses and midwives on his birthday,” Deepa said.

“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 in 2004 as an internationally educated nurse from Kerala, South India.

She has worked hard throughout her career to welcome other internationally educated nurses as they arrive in Dorset, supporting new arrivals who were isolated from their home support systems during the pandemic.

In her new role, Deepa continues to ensure colleagues feel at home at UHD.