Recognition in the New Year Honours 2023

The New Year Honours list recognises the accomplishments and service of extraordinary people across the UK.

We’re absolutely delighted that a number of King’s Health Partners staff [pictured right] have been honoured this year – congratulations to them all. Find out who was recognised below.

Life Lines

Dr Joel Meyer, an intensive care consultant, Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust, and Prof Louise Rose, Professor of Critical Care Nursing, King’s College London – MBEs

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Dr Meyer and Prof Rose set up the Life Lines project in March 2020. Life Lines created a secure virtual visiting platform for families whose loved ones were in intensive care units. The project was made possible through a collaboration with Michael Paquet, the CEO of Aetonix, who created the secure online platform used by Life Lines.

Life Lines has supported more than 135,000 virtual visits and over one million call minutes since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. More than 1,400 4G enabled Android devices have also been provided to 180 NHS hospitals across the UK. Life Lines continues to develop and evaluate digital solutions to support patients, families and clinical teams throughout the intensive care journey. 

Dr Meyer said:

I feel amazed to have been nominated for this exceptional honour. At the start of the pandemic, when Prof Louise Rose and I came up with Life Lines, a way of keeping families and patients connected virtually, we did not anticipate the speed, scale of impact, and sustained success of the project. This award is an opportunity to recognise the extraordinary efforts, goodwill and ongoing contributions of the whole Life Lines team, partners, and collaborators.

Prof Louise Rose said:

When I received the news I was totally surprised but so glad at what we achieved. With Life Lines was being recognised, of course the first person I messaged was Joel.

Find out more about Life Lines.

Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust

Samantha Salaver - MBE

Samantha Salaver has worked at Guy’s Hospital since 2006 and was recognised for services to dental nursing. She joined the Trust as a sister in the dental directorate before becoming a dental matron and then head of dental nursing.

During her career, Samantha chaired the Association of Dental Hospitals dental nurses’ group, and she worked with NHS England to set up talent management for dental nurses. She helped set up the Dental Nursing Academy for apprentices at the Trust, and is currently developing a specialist dental nursing degree.

Samantha said:

I was overwhelmed and surprised to hear that I was to receive such an honour as this. I work with an amazing team of dental nurses and others and have been privileged to be supported by Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS FT. I have had the opportunity to develop the future of dental nursing, and I am very proud to be a dental nurse.

Andrea Williams-McKenzie – CBE

Andrea has worked for Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS FT as Deputy Chief People Officer for a year. She was recognised for public service from her time at the Courts and Tribunals Service.

She said:

It was pretty emotional and overwhelming to get the recognition, particularly when you work in HR. I’m very grateful to be recognised in this way. My parents came to England from Jamaica as part of the Windrush generation – they were very resilient and my mother was a cleaner at St Thomas’ Hospital so it’s really significant for me to receive this CBE while working for Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS FT.

For more details, please visit the Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS FT website.

King’s College London

Prof Rachel Jenkins – OBE

Prof Jenkins, Emeritus Professor of Epidemiology and International Mental Health Policy, has received an OBE for services to Mental Health policy and research in the UK and overseas.

Prof Jenkins directed the World Health Organisation (WHO) Collaborating Centre at King's Institute of Psychiatry for 15 years and continues to lead projects overseas, working with governments and international and national organisations to give support on mental health policy development and implementation, new legislation, training development and innovation, and in providing consultation and strategic advice to government and non-governmental organisations.

Prof Robert Plomin - CBE

Prof Plomin, Research Professor in Behavioural Genetics, has also received a CBE – for services to scientific research.

Prof Plomin has been at King’s College London since 1994, when he joined to help Prof Sir Michael Rutter launch the Social, Genetic and Developmental Psychiatry Research Centre. The goal of the Centre is to bring together genetic and environmental strategies to understand individual differences in behavioural development, which characterises Prof Plomin’s research.

In 1995, Prof Plomin began the Twins Early Development Study (TEDS), which has followed 10,000 pairs of UK twins from infancy through early adulthood and has been continuously funded for 25 years as a programme grant from the Medical Research Council. He has published more than 800 papers and is the author of the best-selling textbook in the field as well as a dozen other books.

More information about all King’s College London staff recognised here.