Florence Elliott

Florence Eileen Elliott OBE (6 October 1905 – 2 August 1996) was a Northern Irish nurse who has been described as "one of the most outstanding nurses that Northern Ireland has produced". She was awarded an OBE in 1951.

Family and early life Born in 1905 to Robert (Robin) Cummings Elliott, Presbyterian minister of Duneane (Antrim) and Florence Wheeler Elliott (nee Steed) in Randalstown. She had a sister, Doreen Mary and a brother Robert (Robin)Cummings. Her uncle on her father's side was Rowley Elliott, MP. Affectionately known as "Lyla", she was a sickly child, which may have led her to a career as a nurse.

Training Elliott trained at the Royal Victoria Hospital, Belfast, qualifying as a registered nurse in 1930.

After several years she attended the Elsie Inglis Memorial Maternity Hospital in Edinburgh to train for six months as a midwife.

She returned to Belfast somewhat reluctantly to take up the post of Matron of Whiteabbey Sanatorium in 1943, after being encouraged to apply for the position.

Whilst at the Royal she ensured that nurses under her charge went on training courses across the UK as well as locally. She also sought out bursaries and scholarships from Denmark, Paris and Columbia University to help her staff.

In 1949 Elliott formed the Royal Victoria Hospital League of Nurses, which was instrumental to keeping nurses in contact with the hospital and contributed to staffing issues by attracting former nurses to work again. 1964-65 UK vice-president of Royal College of Nursing 1982 Annual Florence Elliott Lecture was instituted in her honour 1994 The Florence Elliott Prize for candidates for the BSc (Honours) or Diploma in Nursing Sciences at Queen's University 1994 The Florence Elliott Scholarship Fund for staff in School of Nursing and Midwifery, Queen's University