A Walsall Nurse, who has worked in the NHS since she was a teenager, has won a prestigious award after graduating with a master’s degree.

Sara Smith, Palliative Care Advanced Clinical Practitioner at Walsall Healthcare NHS Trust was awarded the Edward William Neal Award as well as her Master of Sciences in Advanced Clinical Practice at the University of Wolverhampton.

The Edward William Neal Award is awarded to the student who has worked hard to not only meet the academic standards of the university, but has also met the Health Education England framework for Advanced Clinical Practice.

She received the award certificate and a book voucher prize during her graduation ceremony which took place last month.

The mother-of-two, whose husband is also a staff member at the Trust, works between the Manor Hospital, Goscote Hospice and community palliative care as well as running a bone health clinic for patients with bone metastases.

Sara said: “I have worked in the NHS since I was 16 years old and have consistently continued my professional development to get where I am today.

“I find academic work challenging so I feel particularly proud to have won the Edward William Neal Award which recognises hard work and dedication to both nursing practice and advanced clinical practice.

“I am also very proud to have completed my master’s. This took me two years to complete and I have had great support from my colleagues and management team.”