My commitment to women’s rights, social justice and high quality health services has been the main driver of my unusual career - helping midwives and nurses to become more articulate, effective and influential. My roles have included Chief Nurse at the World Health Organization; editor of Nursing Times; and working on Prime Minister Gordon Brown’s Commission on the Future of Nursing and Midwifery in England. My first book The Politics of Nursing (Heinemann 1985) was a wake-up call to the nursing and midwifery professions.

‘Through publishing, writing, and her government work she has made an extremely positive and significant impact on the profession’ – citation for honorary doctorate of science, Kingston University and St George’s, University of London.

‘Who’s Who describes Jane as an author and nursing consultant, but her contributions go much further. As a policy activist driven by humanitarian values, she shapes debate and inspires and encourages nurses everywhere’ - citation for Fellowship of the Royal College of Nursing, UK.