NMC congratulates Dame Sarah Mullally, Archbishop of Canterbury-designate
Published on 03 October 2025
Dame Sarah Mullally
The Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) has congratulated Dame Sarah Mullally, the former Chief Nursing Officer (CNO) for England, on being named the first female Archbishop of Canterbury-designate.
Dame Sarah became a nurse in the 1980s and worked at St Thomas’ Hospital early in her career. She became the CNO in 1999, and was made a Dame Commander of the British Empire in 2005 for her contribution to nursing and midwifery.
Dame Sarah was ordained as a priest in 2002 and has been Bishop of London since 2018.
Ron Barclay-Smith, Chair of the Council, said:
“On behalf of the NMC, I would like to congratulate Dame Sarah on her history-making appointment as the first female Archbishop of Canterbury.
“As a former nurse and Chief Nursing Officer for England, Dame Sarah is sure to bring to her new ministry the compassion and person-centredness that are the bedrock of the nursing profession.”
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