Celebrating excellence: RCN London names its Rising Stars of 2025

RCN London has announced the winners of its Rising Star Awards.  The awards recognise and celebrate the contribution of the global majority nursing community working in London who are transforming patient care across the capital - this includes Black, Asian and minoritised ethnic nursing staff.

This year’s winners include exceptional professionals from international backgrounds who have brought innovation, compassion, and dedication to London’s health and care system.  Their achievements range from pioneering dementia care projects to boosting blood donations in hard-to-reach communities and revolutionising staff training to improve patient outcomes.   

We'd like to introduce you to some of this year's winners:

Rexford Osei-Bonsu, Senior Charge Nurse at NHS Blood and Transplant’s Brixton Donor Centre, has been recognised as a Rising Star for his exceptional efforts in boosting blood donations and strengthening ties with local communities. Through targeted outreach and collaboration with community groups, Rexford has played a pivotal role in encouraging donations among people from Black heritage backgrounds, a group where donation rates have historically been low and where there is an urgent need for specific blood subtypes. 

Smita Patelia is Deputy General Clinical Manager at Lynde House Care Home. Originally from India, Smita won for her pioneering initiative supporting residents with dementia.The Namaste project, which provides sensory and therapeutic interventions for residents, was found to help reduce anxiety and distress.

Carolyn Kaira, originally from Zambia, who works at KYN Bickley Care Home in Bromley. She moved to the UK in 2018 and settled in London in 2021. Carolyn introduced an innovative pain assessment tool for residents living with dementia, helping staff identify discomfort earlier and adjust care plans promptly.

Katherine Anne Uy Saeb, a Clinical Ward Sister at Northwick Park Hospital. Qualifying as a nurse in the Philippines, Katherine pioneered the TimeToTurn initiative that reduced skin damage cases in her ward by nearly 90%.  

Lovehan Dacres, a Healthcare Assistant who works at Hammersmith Hospital, who came from Jamica aged 16. Lovehan played a key role in the development of the Coffee Project, a wellbeing initiative designed to improve staff break times and reduce the financial and time pressures on staff, which also had a positive impact on patient care. 

Von Jerold Buendia, a Senior Charge Nurse at St Mary’s Hospital. Originally from the Philippines, Von came to London in 2019 and worked on a respiratory ward throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.  Von created an innovative tea trolley teaching programme for colleagues delivering bite-sized, interactive education directly to colleagues on wards. 

Congratulating the winners, RCN Regional Director for London, Lisa Elliott, said:  

“Through their innovation, leadership, and compassion, they’ve raised the bar for patient care and inspired those around them. Their dedication not only transforms lives but empowers colleagues to strive for excellence. These winners are true trailblazers.

“London boasts the most diverse nursing workforce in the UK, a tremendous asset to our health and care system. Central to this strength are the vital skills and expertise of international nursing staff, to whom our city owes a great debt of gratitude.

“This year’s Rising Stars are brimming with potential, and I can’t wait to see what they achieve next.”

The full list of winners is below: